ENERGY EXPERT WARNS OF PROLONGED POWER CHALLENGES
By Patricia Mbewe
Energy Expert Dr. Johnstone Chikwanda has predicted a dire outlook on Zambia’s electricity sector, citing several challenges that will likely persist until the end of the year.
Dr. Chikwanda has cited the dropping water levels in Kariba dam which will lead to further challenges in power generation, the maintenance of the mamba power plant which is expected to take over a month, reducing the plant’s capacity to support the power grid by 50% and the scheduled major rehabilitation works scheduled at the largest hydropower plant in Mozambique which will result in a loss of over 400 megawatts of power from that country.
He tells Phoenix News that given these challenges, the electricity sector will not see any improvement until the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Dr. Chikwanda says achieving the 1,000 megawatts target of solar power by the end of the year, which would require approximately 2 million solar panels, is unlikely due to funding and logistics constraints.
He has explained that even if all 2 million solar panels were delivered to the country by September, it would be impossible to install them, complete construction, and commission the projects by the end of December.
PHOENIX NEWS