KAFUE LOWER HYDRO POWER PROJECT TO ADD 750 MW
By SANDRA MACHIMA
THE development of the Kafue Lower Hydro Power Project is the largest investment in the power sector which once completed will add 750 Megawatts of electricity to the national electricity grid, says former general secretary of the National Energy Sector and Allied Workers Union Yotam Mtayachalo.
Mr Mtayachalo noted that Zambia would most likely have an excess power generation of more than 2, 000MW by 2020 especially if the Batoka Power Project was completed and other major hydro power stations operated at full capacity.
He said President Edgar Lungu’s government must be supported for showing political will in developing the Kafue Lower Hydro Power Project.
Mr Mtayachalo said that was a milestone and the largest single investment in the power sector in more than 42 years after the Kafue Gorge Hydro Power station was built in 1974 with installed generation capacity of 900MW.
“It must be realised that since 1974 Zambia has not witnessed major investments in the power sector, so in short we never planned for the future without taking into account the anticipated increase in economic activities and population over time.
“And it is important to give credit where it is due as this project is long overdue as it should have started in 2005 by Sino Hydro of China at a cost of $600m but the cost has gone up to $1.7bn due to delays in implementing the project,” Mr Mtayachalo said.
Mr Mtayachalo said the construction of the Kafue lower power project would revolutionise the electricity sector in Zambia and would address current and Zambia’s future electricity demand.
He explained that the joint Batoka gorge hydro power project to be done jointly with Zimbabwe was another major breakthrough in combating the electricity sector challenges in the country.
“I am confident that with these significant investments in the power sector, the people of Zambia should reap the benefits of enjoying cheaper electricity because currently electricity tariffs are very high for majority ordinary Zambians,” Mr Mtayachalo said.