Africa-Press – Zambia. Zambia is facing an energy crisis, and President Hakainde Hichilema held an emergency meeting on Saturday to address the issue. The meeting included energy sector stakeholders, and focused on the problems surrounding load shedding, the Kariba Dam, and the dam’s unique challenges.
In a statement on Facebook, President Hichilema acknowledged the difficulties posed by load shedding and said, “We acknowledged the fact that the dam is managed as a common resource owned by two countries and therefore that its utilization is a bilateral matter that requires further harmonization. The challenges of load shedding affords us a rare opportunity to provide a long term resolution to a matter that has dogged our country for 50 years. We acknowledge these problems and will not shy away from finding lasting solutions.”
He also emphasized the importance of independent power producers and directed that any laws impeding their participation be addressed urgently. The President stated, “We reiterated our view that independent power producers should come on board and that any law that impedes this process should be dealt with urgently.”
In an effort to mitigate the impact of load shedding on small businesses, farmers, millers, and ordinary citizens, the government plans to expedite the process of bringing private power facilities onto the power grid. President Hichilema said, “We directed that ways be explored to cushion the impact of load shedding on small businesses, the farming community, millers, and ordinary citizens by expediting the process of bringing private power facilities onto the power grid to mitigate the power shortage.”
On Sunday, President Hichilema will visit the Kariba North Bank and Maamba for an on-site inspection, after which the government will review progress on Monday. He said, “Tomorrow, Sunday 8th January 2023, we will visit Kariba North Bank and Maamba for an on-site inspection, after which we will reconvene on Monday to review progress.”
Aspiring presidential candidate for the opposition Patriotic Front (PF) party, Emmanuel Mwamba, criticized the government’s handling of the energy crisis in a statement on Facebook. Mwamba said, “In November 2022, the Zambezi River Authority informed both Zambia and Zimbabwe that Zimbabwe Power Company(ZPC) and ZESCO had utilized the allocated water for the year and the dam’s usable storage for power generation stood at only 4.6%. So it became clearly inevitable that power generation at Kariba Dam will be adversely affected.”
He also questioned the government’s decision to continue power exports and its failure to prepare for load shedding in December or January. Mwamba said, “I wonder why at this stage in November 2022 Government did not; 1. Plan for immediate suspension of power exports. 2. Form a multi-task and multi-sectoral team to handle efficient use of power and associated issues. 3. Help plan for both independent power producers; Ndola Energy (110 megawatts) and Maamba Collieries (300 megawatts) that use heavy fuels and coal respectively, to help forestall the impending power deficit. 4. Engage citizens and walk with them on the inevitability of load-shedding schedule to be effected by December or January.”
Mwamba also argued that the government’s recent actions and concerns about the Maamba Collieries Power Station are too little, too late. He said, “So the hasty decisions that were made on Friday and Saturday and the concerns around Maamba Collieries Power Station have come too late in the day.”
He pointed out that the Kariba Dam is not the only source of power generation in Zambia, and that the country’s installed capacity exceeds the dam’s power production. Mwamba said before concluding, “Further, a visit to Kariba Lake is not the solution. Kariba is not the only source of power generation.Of the 3,456 installed capacity, Kariba Power Stations produces only 1,080 megawatts.”
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