Luangwa, Rufunsa to join national power grid

By MUKOSELA KASALWE LUANGWA and Rufunsa will soon be connected to the national power grid which will increase their accessibility to electricity unlike the expensive and inadequate capacity diesel generation supply, says ZESCO spokesperson Henry Kapata.

Mr Kapata said diesel generation supply was not only expensive but unreliable and inadequate which was drawing 2, 500 litres of diesel on average on a daily basis.

Mr Kapata said the objective of the project worth $63.4 million was to replace the unreliable and costly diesel generation supply at Luangwa with quality hydro power from the national grid.

In an interview with the Daily Nation, at the weekend, Mr Kapata said the project had reached an advanced stage at 61 percent and that the move would increase electricity supply to Luangwa and Rufunsa.

Mr Kapata said the line was from Leopards Hill substation in Lusaka to Luangwa which was a 210-kilometre stretch of about 132 Kilovolts transmission line.

He said on average the diesel power generation was consuming about 2, 500 litres of diesel on a daily basis and that once the hydro power project was finalised it would save a lot of money.

“Basically the objective is to replace the expensive, unreliable and inadequate capacity diesel generation supply at Luangwa with quality hydro power from the grid hence increasing access to electricity in Luangwa and Rufunsa districts respectively. It’s a $63.4 million project at 61 percent complete.

“The line is from Leopards Hill substation right here in Lusaka to Luangwa which is a 210-kilometre stretch about 132 KV transmission line,” Mr Kapata said.

Mr Kapata said power substations would be erected on the outskirts of Luangwa at Mupansha and Chitope of 132 Kilovolts.

He said ZESCO awarded contracts to KEC International Limited and Howell Energy Systems for the completion of outstanding works for lines and substations respectively.

Mr Kapata said the ZESCOKEC contract duration is 10 months while the ZESCO-Howell contract duration is eight months.