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k deep
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Tue 02 Mar. 2010, 22:40 CAT [282 Reads, 0 Comment(s)]
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THE construction of a key power system at Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP) that will raise copper output at the country’s biggest mine to 500, 000 tonnes from the current 300, 000 tonnes has been completed.
The Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC), the country’s sole power distributor to Copperbelt mines said the project had been completed jointly with Konkola Copper Mines (KCM).
CEC executive chairman Handson Sindowe said the completion of the project expected to raise power consumption by KCM by more than 30 per cent would help to accelerate the development of the project dubbed the wettest mine in the world.
“The Konkola expansion project we are doing in conjunction with Konkola Copper Mines is basically complete on the power side,” Sindowe told journalists on Monday as the company announced its 2009 results.
According to official statistics, KDMP is due to start commissioning next month.
By April 2009 all equipment for KDMP had been commissioned except for Luano transformer whose commissioning was delayed from September 2009 after some disputes KCM and ABB had with the contractor.
The Luano Transformer however was commissioned on January 19 2010.
And CEC managing director for corporate development Michael Tarney projected that recent resurgent in copper prices was expected to lead to increased load uptake by the mines which fell to 436 megawatts last year from the peak demand of 532 megawatts in 2008.
Tarney said CEC had opened talks with a new copper mine at Luanshya Copper Mines (LCM) for the development of greenfield Mulyashi project expected to start producing 60, 000 tonnes of copper cathodes.
“Sales of power to the main mining companies on the Copperbelt are expected to increase steadily due to new investments by CEC’s mining customers, particularly in Luanshya and Konkola areas,” said Tarney
CEC last year recorded a 13 per cent decrease in revenue to US $154, 169, 000 from US$177, 486, 000 in 2008 due to reduced load uptake by mining companies.