By GIDEON NYENDWA
Zambia is next week expected to start importing power from Mozambique as Zesco will be able to pay back the US$24 million debt it owes that country.
And the government has announced a reduction of load shedding duration to four from eight hours following the improved electricity generation.
Energy Minister, Peter Kapala made these announcements in Lusaka on Friday at a press briefing.
On power importation from Mozambique, Kapala was confident that Zesco would this week be able to import power from Mozambique following the release of the US$24 million to pay off the debt owed to that country.
“On the US$24 million debt for Mozambique, this is in the process and I am confident that by next week, this money will be released to Zesco and it will be able to pay Mozambique and we should be able to receive the power, Mr Kapala said.
Recently, acting Energy Minister Collins Nzovu said at a media briefing that Zesco had planned to import up to 280 megawatts of electricity from Mozambique and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
He said; “We are looking to import 80 megawatts from the SAPP market. We are also looking at importing between 100 and 200 megawatts from EDM,” Nzovu said, referring to Mozambique’s power utility”
Meanwhile, Mr Kapala has announced that Government had revised the staggered eight hours load-shedding downwards to four hours following an improvement in water inflows into the major hydro power reservoirs namely, Kariba, Kafue Gorge and Itezhi-Tezhi.
Mr Kapala said that customers would now be loadshedded once in a day for four straight hours only.
Meanwhile Mr.Kapala has disclosed that the government as recorded about 15 increase in the conversion of the TAZAMA pipeline.
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