• The Corporation is currently experiencing significant difficulties to balance the available power supply with demand.
• This has drastically suppressed hydro power generation at its major power stations.
• This scenario entails that the Corporation will have to ration power outside the planned timings.

ZESCO Limited says the total available power of 1,268 megawatts still falls short of the demand of 2,216 Megawatts for June 2024.

In a latest power generation update, ZESCO’s Corporate Affairs Department, said the Corporation is currently experiencing significant difficulties to balance the available power supply with demand due to the adverse El Niño effects.

The Company stated that this has drastically suppressed hydro power generation at its major power stations.

The Corporation revealed that it is taking up 105 Megawatts of power from Ndola Energy, importing 188 Megawatts from Mozambique and has gone further to reduce exports from 520 megawatts in February to 281 megawatts in June 2024, in a bid to supplement the reduced power generation.

“Further, the Corporation is prioritizing critical loads to sustain industry, agriculture and essential services. Owing to the above, the Corporation has to deploy emergency load management measures to sustain the power system,” it stated.

It added that this scenario entails that the power utility firm will have to ration power outside the planned timings.

According to ZESCO, Kafue Gorge is currently generating 372 Megawatts against capacity of 990 Megawatts, while Kafue Gorge Lower is producing 179 Megawatts against installed capacity of 750 Megawatts.

“Kariba North Bank is generating 98 Megawatts against installed capacity of 1,080 Megawatts, Itezhi-Tezhi 34 Megawatts against installed capacity of 120 Megawatts, Ndola Energy is generating 105 Megawatts while others are generating a combined total of 480 Megawatts,” the company highlighted.