Load shedding can’t go away simply because HH is President – Nevers
MMD leader Nevers Mumba says the load shedding problem cannot go away simply because Hakainde Hichilema is President.
Last Friday energy minister Peter Kapala announced that the country will be having a six-hour load shedding effective December 15.
“Zesco will implement a load management regime aimed at rationing power generation at the Kariba Complex to avoid a complete shutdown. This will be done with the view to minimise the impact on key economic sectors as well as preservation of the integrity of generation units at the Kariba Complex. We anticipate that based on the water levels, this will translate into a load management regime starting on 15th December 2022 of up to a maximum of six hours daily until the water levels improve,” said Kapala.
“Further, the situation has been worsened due to the over utilisation of water for sustained power generation which has resulted in low water levels at the lake. As of 28th November 2022, the Kariba lake water levels stood at 476.09m above sea level, representing only 4.12 per cent of usable water storage for power generation. It is projected that if the current power generation and subsequent water utilisation continues, the remaining water for power generation at the Kariba Complex, also referred to as live storage, will not be sufficient for power generation beyond mid-December 2022. Against this background, there is need to implement measures aimed at rationing the water in the lake in order to avoid a complete shutdown of electricity generation activities at the Kariba Complex.”
Reacting the announcement, Mumba said he was certain that there are those “among us who are getting ready to bash and hit at those in authority over this development”.
“Yes, the coming holiday season would be much better with electricity available throughout. However, I’d like to put on record that as the MMD, we hold this view: as a nation, we have in the past failed to properly plan for the population increase, and the housing explosion that has now necessitated load shedding and power cuts. This is a problem that cannot go away simply because HH is President or because we have a new party in power,” Mumba wrote on his Facebook wall.
“We need to, as a country, think through this long and hard, and implement the costly but yet necessary movement to renewable energy as a more sustainable and alternative sources of power. In the long run, this will be cheaper for our economy and will also present an opportunity for bigger industrial investments, once we have a sustainable and sufficient supply of power. I expect that this is the conversation we should preoccupy our best brains with.”
He cited solar, wind, thermal and nuclear energy.
“Zambia happens to have all these alternatives abanduntly available and we must give a challenge to our young minds to fix this problem, of course with the will and support of the government,” said Mumba.
“What are the JETS clubs in the country currently busy with? Well here is a challenge…”