…As unprecedented levels of rolling blackouts cripple businesses in Zambia
By SIMON MUNTEMBA
CHOKED up with emotion, tears streamed down Moses Kamanga’s cheeks as he unpacked meat from his fridge which had gone bad due to prolonged power outages.
Mr. Kamanga runs the local butchery in Lusaka’s Mandevu residential area. The whole meat that he had ordered for resale went bad due to prolonged power outages, commonly known as load-shedding.
“Nowadays, Zesco is failing to follow its own rationing schedule. Instead of receiving up to three hours of power per day as notified, we have experienced rolling blackouts for over 72 hours, and all the meat that I had ordered has rotten. It’s over three days now without power here. This is a huge loss and I don’t know how I will recover,” Mr. Kamanga lamented as he wiped tears with the back of his hand.
A despondent and frustrated looking Mr. Kamanga says he will throw away the stock and might end up shutting down his butchery, dragging his family into destitution.
“I have several children, including orphans that I look after, but this might be the beginning of bad days ahead of them,” he says while closing his eyes as more tears fell.
For a few minutes, we all sat in silence in the butchery, our hearts fuming at the injustice that load-shedding has caused to citizens. It was emotional and painful watching a grown up man breaking down repeatedly as he described how the prolonged load-shedding has led to financial losses he could not afford.
This is not an isolated incident but a common occurrence affecting many citizens. It mirrors what is happening countrywide where load-shedding is affecting every facet of life and making the plight of vulnerable households increasingly dire.
The idea of having electricity, even for three hours per day, has become a dream for nearly everyone.
A crippling drought induced by the El Niño, recently brought Zesco, country’s power lifeline, to its knees, forcing the nation into darkness with up to 21-hour load-shedding schedules per day.
Zambia heavily relies on hydroelectric power which accounts for about 85 percent of installed generation capacity, and the drought has greatly reduced water levels in reservoirs like the Kariba Dam and Kafue Gorge, leading to a severe decrease in electricity generation.
Government responded with load-shedding, rationing power to manage the limited supply, but this has led to significant disruptions in various economic sectors such as manufacturing and food production, thereby threatening food security for the country.
Families still able to stock their fridges complain about food spoiling, worsened by the power utility not following its own fixed schedule of electricity cuts. And due to the health risk that perished food poses, many households are forced to throw them away.
Of course, Zesco had communicated that its residential customers would be receiving up to three hours of power, daily, on a rotational basis, but that has not been the case as some residential areas are experiencing rolling blackouts beyond 72 hours.
This extreme situation has crippled economic activities and disrupted daily life on an unprecedented scale, from heavy industrial sites and central business districts, to the residential areas and local markets.
BUSINESSES ARE COLLAPSING DUE TO LOAD-SHEDDING
The crippling energy crisis and the extreme load-shedding measures have a devastating impact on businesses across Zambia, whether big or small. Both have suffered alike.
Most businesses depend on the electricity supplied by Zesco and cannot afford alternative power sources such as solar energy or powered generators which come as an added cost and turn their businesses into loss making.
This is a major blow especially to the small and medium business sector such as the salons, barbershops, restaurants and butcheries which are mostly local businesses who are already reeling from the impact of the Covid-19.
Mary Sichombe, a hairdresser in Lusaka’s Kamwala South residential area, sits idly on a couch outside her salon with three of her workers.
Ms. Sichombe has not had a single client for the past three days due to load-shedding as she mainly depends on electrical hair gadgets to attend to them.
“I don’t know how we will survive with this load-shedding. Apart from raising money for rent, I have to pay my workers but with this load-shedding, I don’t know where I will get the money from to pay them because we are not working,” says Ms. Sichombe.
Like hairdressers, welders are also feeling the pinch and struggling to stay in business.
Emmanuel Sakala, a welder in Garden residential area, says load-shedding has heavily impacted his business. He had to retrench five employees who worked at his shop.
“We rely on power, and we can’t operate without it. Nowadays, we would go for a week without making anything because sometimes power comes at night when we are sleeping, during day time we stay without it. So, I decided to retrench my five employees. It was a painful decision because these are men with families to look after but it is beyond me,” says Mr. Sakala.
He said much as he would have loved to look to alternative power sources in the face of ongoing load-shedding, it wasn’t feasible because they are expensive.
In agreeing with Mr. Sakala, Kanchibiya Constituency Member of Parliament, Sunday Chanda says: “Solar power is an excellent solution to load-shedding, but the upfront costs for solar panels, inverters, and battery storage systems remain prohibitively high for most poor households.”
Mr. Chanda says as Zambia continues to grapple with the challenges of insufficient electricity generation, especially during prolonged droughts that impact hydroelectric power generation, it is important for the nation to diversify its energy mix.
“We urgently call on the government to take a bold and innovative approach to solar energy by developing affordable, flexible financing models that provide poor households with access to solar energy,” says Mr Chanda.
A study by the Zambia Consumer Association found that the average household expenditure on energy-related costs rose by 20 percent in 2023, further straining family budgets.
The businesses, which are the lifeblood of the nation’s economy, are grappling with unprecedented challenges in sustaining operations, maintaining productivity, and ensuring profitability.
Zesco Limited spokesperson Matongo Maumbi who admits the prolonged power outages, has cited further reduced water levels at Kariba Dam, and reduced inflow of scheduled power imports from Mozambique, due to annual maintenance works on generating units being carried out by that country’s utility Electricidade de Moçambique.
“Zesco recognises the challenges faced by its customers and continues to pursue several other mitigating measures to cushion the impact of this drought induced power deficit which has reached a very challenging phase,” says Mr. Maumbi.
As part of the short-term mitigating measures, Ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary -Technical Services, Peter Mumba says the government has started installing diesel-powered generators at critical stations such as hospitals and markets.
“Citizens may wish to note that the first consignment of nine out of the 23 diesel-powered generators procured have now arrived in the country while the remaining14 are expected to be delivered next week,” says Mr. Mumba.
Of course, the government’s short term effort to bridge the supply-demand gap by installing procured diesel-powered generators is laudable. However, this particular measure does not address the fundamental vulnerabilities of Zambia’s power sector in the face of climate change.
In fact, the burning of fossil fuels from these generators is one of the main drivers of climate change.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions.
In other words, a large chunk of the greenhouse gases that blanket the earth and trap the sun’s heat are generated through energy production, by burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and heat.
Thus, the key to addressing Zambia’s energy crisis in the face of climate change is to end the country’s over-reliance on traditional hydroelectric power and energy generated fossil fuels, and transition towards renewable energy.
WHY ENERGY TRANSITION MATTERS
The urgency of renewable energy transition in Zambia cannot be overstated.
According to energy experts, transitioning towards renewable energy holds the key not only to addressing climate change but also to unlocking economic growth, creating jobs, and powering development across the country.
Renowned energy expert James Ntabo says by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources, Zambia can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to global climate action.
“Investing in renewable energy can stimulate economic growth, create new jobs in green sectors, and empower local communities. In fact, clean energy reduces air pollution, leading to improved public health and well-being,” says Mr. Ntabo.
Indeed, shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy not only cuts emissions, but it also contributes to the sustainable economic growth, better public health and more equality, particularly for the poor and most vulnerable communities.
Besides, energy transition has the potential to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and hydropower, contributing to Zambia’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE PLAN TO DIVERSIFY THE ENERGY MIX
Speaking when he officially opened the Fourth Session of the 13th National Assembly, President Hakainde Hichilema admitted that the energy sector, which is an enabler of economic growth, has been severely affected by the drought.
President Hichilema, who regretted and sympathised with the citizens said in a bid to enhance resilience and reduce over-dependence on hydroelectric power, his administration was promoting alternative sources of electricity generation.
To this end, he said, “we commissioned the construction of the 300 megawatts thermal power plant in Maamba. This power plant is expected to come on stream by mid-2026.
To diversify the energy mix and address the country’s current power deficit, Zesco Limited, with various partners, including those from China, is spearheading the development of several solar electricity projects. This is in addition to a number of private sector initiatives.
Mr. Hichilema also said that to boost alternative energy sources, the government has issued the electricity (net metering) regulations of 2024.
He explained that the net metering system will allow customers who produce their own electricity to feed excess electricity generated into the national grid.
Indeed, as rightly observed by the President, it has become increasingly urgent for Zambia to diversify its energy mix.
It is pleasing to note that through the Rural Electrification Authority (REA), Government is promoting renewable energy resources such as solar, mini-hydro, wind and biomass.
Recently, REA signed memorandum of understandings (MoUs) with 65 town councils, a significant step in taking electricity to constituencies located across Zambia.
According to the MoUs, REA will work with councils to identify areas where electrification is needed most, ensuring that no one is left in the dark.
Additionally, REA and the councils will explore renewable energy options and minimize the environmental impact of projects, aligning with Zambia’s shared commitment to a greener future.
“The government is aware of the challenges affecting communities owing to low access to electricity, hence the decision to deploy all available interventions to resolve this unfortunate situation,” says Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Gary Nkombo.
Moreover, according to REA chief executive officer Linus Chanda, the authority is this year implementing 48 new on grid and eight off grid renewable energy projects to increase access to electricity for citizens.
With the installation of solar grids, REA is prioritising the availability of renewable and affordable energy for communities in hard-to-reach, rural communities that are unable to access the centralised national electricity grid.
By harnessing this renewable energy source, Zambia will not only meet its own energy demands but also reduce its carbon footprint and potentially become a green energy exporter in the region.
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