Unbundle Zesco, reform tariffs, former NASA expert advises gov’t

says Zambia must urgently embrace Public-Private Partnerships, separate Zesco into generation, transmission, distribution to cure the inefficiencies and failures of accountability

By MUKWIMA CHILALA

FORMER National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) engineer and energy expert David Green says Zambia must urgently embrace Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), unbundle Zesco, and reform tariffs if it is to end its recurring power crisis.
Speaking in an interview with Millennium Radio, Mr Green argues that Zesco’s current bundled structure where generation, transmission, and distribution are housed under one entity has created inefficiencies and blurred accountability.
Mr Green said that separating the functions of the unbundled state-owned power utility firm into distinct corporate bodies would align with international best practice and allow for specialised management.
Mr Green, who is now an energy consultant in Zambia through his firm LUSAT, also emphasised that tariff reforms are unavoidable if the sector is to become sustainable.
He explains that tariffs should reflect the long-run marginal cost of generation and distribution, while at the same time protecting vulnerable households through lifeline tariffs and subsidies.
He adds that PPPs are the fastest route to unlocking capital and technical expertise for renewable energy projects, including solar, hydrokinetic, and battery storage systems.
Mr Green has also urged the government to strengthen governance in the energy sector by establishing an independent regulator with powers over tariff-setting, grid access and service quality.
He says digitisation, adoption of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems, and performance-based regulation would modernise operations and reduce losses.
He has warned that the country’s overdependence on hydropower over 85 percent of installed capacity makes the sector highly vulnerable to drought.
Mr Green had stressed the need to diversify into solar photovoltaic plants, hydrokinetic river technologies, and battery energy storage to ensure year-round stability.