ZAMBIA RISKS DRIFTING INTO LOADSHEDDING - ENERGY EXPERT

THE country risks drifting into hydroelectricity generation crisis if no practical measures are put in place following continued reduction of water at Kariba Dam, says energy expert Victor Hazemba.

He said in an interview that Government should take measures aimed at preventing the country from drifting into a power supply crisis similar to the one the country experienced a few years ago.

Mr Hazemba also said there is need for the government to create a conducive environment and attract private players in the energy sector.

He said while traditionally Zambia had always depended on hydro-electricity power for its commercial and domestic supply, it was important for the country to start looking at maximising the use of other potential energy sources like solar and coal.

Mr Hazemba said the negative effects of climate change on the generation of hydroelectricity are here to stay and warned that failure to find other sources of electricity would impact negatively on the country’s productivity.

“Failure to find other sources of electricity will impact negatively on the country’s productivity, and as a country, we need to avoid this,” said Mr Hazemba.

He said while Zambia has a lot of potential to generate electricity from coal and solar energy, not much has been done to attract investment in the two sectors.

Lake Kariba is designed to operate between levels 475.50m and 488.50m with 0.70m freeboard for hydropower generation.

According to the latest update on the water levels at Kariba Dam released by the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA), water has been decreasing steadily on account of low inflows from the mainstream Zambezi River.

Currently, water levels at the country’s largest hydroelectricity scheme is at 14.86 percent usable storage, compared to 38.91 percent recorded during the same period last year.