Low cost power to industry coming -minister  

Tue, 13 Feb 2018 09:58:45 +0000

By MUKOSELA KASALWE

GOVERNMENT is determined to provide more stable and low-cost power supply to businesses and communities through the Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff (REFiT) Strategy in collaboration with private investors.

Energy minister David Mabumba said government was focused on transitioning Zambia away from a nation experiencing load-shedding to providing more electricity to citizens through private sector investments.

Mr Mabumba said this in Lusaka, during the launch of the “GET FiT Zambia and 100 Mega Watts (MW) Solar PV Tender Pre-Bid Meeting” that the REFiT strategy provides an allocation of 200 MW for small-to-medium-scale renewable projects with a maximum of size of 20 MW.

The event attracted 250 power developers and investors looking to invest in renewable energy in Zambia.

“We are intent to deliver more power to all people in Zambia: whether providing light to rural villages or more stable and low-cost power supply to businesses and communities already served by the grid.

The task is huge, but the ministry is committed to transitioning Zambia away from a nation experiencing load-shedding and low rates of electrification,” he said.

The minister expressed hope that collaboration with private investors would help alleviate power constraints in the country and better position Zambia to become a regional electricity hub in the future.

Germany ambassador to Zambia Achim Burkart said his government was excited about the REFiT program as it believed that renewable energy was key in securing Zambia’s energy stability in the future.

The GET FiT which was launched in October last year by the Ministry of Energy has received a funding pledge of 31 million Euros from the Germany government.