ANTONIO MWANZA URGES GOVERNMENT TO PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE POWER CRISIS

MWANZA URGES GOVERNMENT TO PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE POWER CRISIS:

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president Antonio Mwanza has urged Government to urgently prepare for a possible electricity crisis, warning that Zambia’s heavy dependence on hydropower leaves the country vulnerable to drought-induced power shortages

Mr Mwanza said authorities should act before water levels in reservoirs become critically low, particularly amid forecasts of a potentially strong El Niño during the 2026/27 season.

He said the key question was not whether El Niño would automatically lead to load-shedding, but whether Zambia had adequate measures in place to cushion the power system against reduced hydropower generation.

“Zambia remains highly exposed to a drought-induced electricity shock because of our heavy dependence on hydropower,” Mr Mwanza said in a statement issued on Monday.

Citing electricity statistics from the Energy Regulation Board (ERB), Mr Mwanza said Zambia generated **14,560.23 gigawatt-hours (GWh)** of electricity in 2025, with hydropower accounting for **81.3 percent**, thermal generation **16.3 percent** and solar **2.5 percent**.

He said hydropower generated approximately **11,835 GWh**, compared with about **359 GWh** from solar during the year.

Mr Mwanza warned that existing solar generation would not be sufficient to compensate for a major reduction in hydropower output.

“Therefore, if hydropower suffers another major drought-related reduction, our existing solar generation is nowhere near sufficient to replace the electricity we could lose,” he said.

He also cautioned against confusing installed generation capacity with electricity actually being produced and supplied to the national grid.

Mr Mwanza acknowledged Government’s efforts to accelerate investment in solar and other sources of electricity, noting that the ERB approved **101 power purchase agreements totalling 8,783.30 megawatts** in 2025, most involving solar projects.

However, he said such projects would not address an immediate power shortage unless they were completed, connected to the grid and generating electricity.

“A PPA does not keep the lights on until the plant is built, connected and generating,” he said.

Mr Mwanza also noted that Zambia imported **2,119.70 GWh** of electricity in 2025, reflecting the country’s increasing reliance on regional electricity markets.

He called on the Government to secure firm regional power imports before reservoir levels become critically low, while fast-tracking solar projects capable of being connected to the grid quickly.

He further urged investment in battery storage so that solar power generated during daylight hours could be used during peak demand periods.

Mr Mwanza said additional reliable and dispatchable generation, including thermal power, could provide a buffer when hydropower output was constrained, while Zambia continued its transition towards cleaner energy sources.

He also called for closer monitoring of reservoir levels and water inflows, saying ZESCO and other relevant authorities should optimise the available water for electricity generation.

The DPP leader proposed that mines, farms, manufacturers, hospitals, schools and businesses be encouraged to invest in solar-plus-storage systems to reduce pressure on the national grid.

He stressed the need to strengthen the transmission network, warning that increased generation would have limited impact if electricity could not be delivered to areas where it was needed.

Mr Mwanza further called for Government to publish a national electricity contingency plan outlining measures to be implemented under different levels of hydropower reduction.

He said the public should be informed about Zambia’s available import capacity, thermal generation, expected new solar capacity and battery storage.

He also called for projections showing reservoir levels and contingency measures for scenarios in which hydropower generation falls by **10, 20 or 30 percent**.

“The public deserves to know before, not during, the crisis,” Mr Mwanza said.

In the long term, Mr Mwanza said Zambia should diversify its energy mix through increased solar generation, battery storage, climate-resilient hydropower, reliable dispatchable generation and other renewable energy sources.

He also called for stronger regional interconnections, expanded power trading and modernisation of transmission and distribution infrastructure.

Mr Mwanza said Zambia’s energy policy should focus on preparing for future climate and energy shocks rather than waiting for electricity shortages to emerge before taking action.