Electricity Firm Warns of More Power Shortages in Zambia

Zambia’s giant state owned power supplier, ZESCO, has warned of another power crisis after two of its generators malfunctioned on Monday, leaving the country struggling to repair the generators and regain the lost energy.

ZESCO spokesperson Monica Chisela told journalists that more power outages were likely to occur following a fault at Kafue Gorge Station that led to the shut down of the two generators.

She said the Monday fault led to a power deficit of 700 megawatts of electricity, but technicians were already working on the fault. She could not say how long the repair work would last or how soon the deficit would be restored.

She ruled the possibility of ZESCO importing the shortfall from neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) because that country currently also has some problems with its own power generation.

Zambia has suffered crippling power outages since the start of the year, caused by aging generators and an increased demand for electricity arising from the opening up new copper mines.

Nearly all countries in southern Africa are facing serious power shortages which have made it difficult for them to import from each other as was previous practice.

Source African Press Agency

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