Africa-Press – Zambia. Government has revised the staggered 12 hours load-shedding downwards to eight(8) hours following completion of maintenance works at Maamba Collieries Limited.
Acting Minister of Energy, Douglas Syakalima says with the restoration of 150 megawatts generator at Maamba Collieries Limited, the current available generation as of January 19, 2023 is 1,910 megawatts against the power demand of 2,380 megawatts.
Mr Syakalima who is also Minister of Education said this has resulted in a reduced power deficit from 620 megawatts to 470 megawatts hence the load-shedding duration being reviewed and revised downwards from 12 hours to eight hours.
ZANIS reports that the Mr Syakalima said this during a press briefing in Lusaka today. He stated that customers will now be load shed for four(4) hours, then have power for eight(8) hours after which they will be load-shed for another four(4) hours.
“Customers will first be load-shed for 4 hours twice in a day with each interval lasting 4 hours, against the initial interval of 6 hours. With this adjustment, customers will have power for a total 16 hours in a day as opposed to the previous 12 hours of power supply,” he said.
Mr Syakalima added that the maintenance works at the power plant have been completed three days ahead of schedule following President Hakainde Hichilema’s intervention when he visited the power plant on January 8,2023.
“Maintenance works at Maamba Collieries Limited were scheduled to take place from 6th January to 20 January,2023 however the works were completed on 17th January,2023, three days ahead of schedule and the power plant is now operating at full capacity.
“I wish to thank management at Maamba Collieries for the positive and prompt response to the President’s call,” he said.
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