The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) has suspended the export of power to neighbouring countries due to the current electricity deficit the country is facing.
ZESCO Spokesperson Henry Kapata said in Lusaka today that the company will only resume power exports when it has excess electricity.
Mr. Kapata explained that ZESCO cannot be irrational as to export power when it is rationing electricity supply to the Zambian people because of the serious shortage.
He said this in reaction to concerns from some members of the public that the power utility company was still exporting electricity to neighbouring countries when the local people were not satisfied with the supply.
Mr. Kapata argued that those accusing ZESCO of exporting power were misleading the citizens.
Lusaka and many other parts of the country have lately been experiencing load shedding of up to eight hours in a day.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kapata has denied allegations that industries located in residential areas experience load shedding from 06:00 hours to 22:00 hours.
He stated that industries situated in residential areas only experience load shedding from 22:00 hours to 06: 00 hours when the townships where they are located are loadshedded.
The ZESCO Spokesperson further explained that Zambia was a signatory to other countries in terms of power sharing and that the nation only does so when it has enough and that only the surplus will be exported to those countries in need .
He reiterated that the current power deficit situation has been caused by the low water levels at the Kafue Gorge power station.
Mr. Kapata has since appealed to the people of Zambia bear with the power utility company as the situation was not permanent
So what about what we read in papers that Chagwa says he will ensure that some of the little power we have will be exported to Mozambique even if we do not have enough for ourselves as a country.
Your economy is growing and yet you dont want to borrow more to invest in power generation.
Political Gimmick again.
You are exporting power and you turn around to tell us lies.
The gov’t is under 20 billion budget defficit, caused by reverting taxes on mines and you want to lie to us.
the rains were enough for generation of power, but rains were not good for crops because of one month dry spell. the crops were affected by the dry spell in march, but we had enough rains in april.we had floods in some parts of the counrty and it was raining heavily. in north western.
DONT LIE TO US, WE KNOW WHY YOU REMOVED CHITUNDU.
Gellout!! Which not permanent?? How long have we been complaining? And is it the first time this thing of loadshedding is happening. Just be ashamed of yourself as a company. There is not way you can be feeding your neighbour when your own children are starving. Stop the nonsense of exporting power, we failing even to do business because of your unreliable supply. God bless Zambia.
“Mr. Kapata has since appealed to the people of Zambia to bear with the power utility company as the situation was not permanent” WE ARE WAITING FOR THE NEXT RAINY SEASON & HOPING THAT THE RAINS WILL NOT AGAIN DISAPPOINT COME NEXT YEAR..!!THE WAITING IS LONG.