CEC fails to deny electricity exports amid steep local power cuts

CEC fails to deny electricity exports amid steep local power cuts

As Zambia continues to grapple with a countrywide power shortage that has resulted in over 8 hours of power cuts for households and businesses, the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) has gone mute on whether they are still exporting power at the expense of supplying local Zambians.

Zambian Business Times (ZBT) has received information from anonymous sources that suggest CEC has been accessing power from ZESCO, the state-run power company while continuing to export power at a time when local businesses face total collapse.

ZBT has reached out to CEC for confirmation and further details on the matter. Specifically, ZBT has requested information on the amount of power being exported, the breakdown of exports by country, and whether CEC has any plans to increase its investment in renewable energy sources to reduce its dependence on ZESCO.

ZBT has also raised the question of whether it is morally justifiable for CEC to continue exporting power accessed from publicly owned ZESCO while Zambian households and businesses are forced to endure power cuts.

Despite all these concerns that are affecting the nation CEC has remained mute on the matter.

Efforts to get a response from CEC have proved futile even after the Corporation confirmed receipt of the questions. Legal experts say Zambia should invoke the force majeure clause to halt exports and save it’s local businesses and households, but the power utility has only invoked this for it’s local bulk customers.

The situation highlights the challenges of balancing the needs of local and regional economies with the demands of the global marketplace. However, any country faced with such a situation is expected to opt to serve its local interests first as a total collapse of local companies who are the very reason for it’s existence means a complete abdication of responsibility.

As Zambia seeks to harness its natural resources to fuel economic growth, it must also ensure that the needs of its citizens are not overlooked for profit and for the benefit of a bloated and top heavy management structure of ZESCO which is not even selected on merit.

ZESCO has some of Zambia’s best and well trained engineers who are usually overlooked when appointments are made, leading to the current challenges of a failed implementation of energy generation diversification programe- Zambian Business Times (ZBT)