CEC allays fears of power outages

[LesCrozes]

 
CEC allays fears of power outages - By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe - Wed 09 Dec. 2009
COPPERBELT Energy Corporation (CEC), the sole power supplier to the vast mining sector, has played down fears that the sector will be plunged into power shortages by the end of next year, disrupting production.

And CEC expects to complete the ongoing detailed feasibility study by next month for the 50 megawatts hydropower station at Kabompo Gorge in North Western province.

Zesco recently said Zambia’s power consumption is expected to rise from the current 1,500 megawatts to 2,437 megawatts next year, due to projected growth in the mining sector, among other key industries.

But in an interview yesterday, CEC managing director Neil Coucher said although growth in the mining sector was expected to drive increased demand of the domestic power, Zesco’s projections were “pessimistic.”

Coucher said CEC load uptake was expected to rebound by 30 per cent after falling by 25 per cent at the height of the global economic crisis which depressed copper prices, forcing mining companies to scale down output while in extreme cases closed mining projects.

“We only expect a growth of about 100 to 150 megawatts between now and the end of the year…,” Coucher said. “But we do not expect anything more than 150 Megawatts or 180 megawatts at most next year from where we are now. I can’t quite see where the 600 megawatts is going to come from.”

Coucher however admitted that the recent resurgence in mining activities in the country would spur demand that would result in load shedding, especially at household levels.

“…The local gap from 1,500 megawatts to 2,200, I do not think that is possible,” he said. “That is too many projects if that kind of demand goes up…that is almost a 60 per cent growth in one year and I don’t believe that is possible…that is a very pessimistic view of the situation. I don’t think demand would go that much. I am not saying it won’t be tight…”
On the development of the over US$100 million at Kabompo Gorge in North Western province, Coucher said: “The detailed feasibility study is going on. It is a bit difficult because the rains have started but we expect to get the results in the next month or so.”

from < http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_art ... cleId=2994 >