Zambia’s Electricity Generation Capacity INCREASES TO 1,901M
The Minister attributed the improvement to the following:
1. Increase in generation at Kafue gorge power station from 630MW to 900MW against a 900MW installed capacity. Water levels are 2.74m above minimum dam operating levels of 974m which ZESCO has instituted spilling gate measures to manage levels.
2. The Kariba North Bank contributes 380MW against a 1,080MW installed capacity. The Kariba is 5.25m above the 475.5m minimum dam operational level against the 488.5m maximum desired level as at 13 March.
3. The Itezhi Tezhi Reservoir dam is currently at 1,027.91m representing 82% of its full storage capacity generating 82MW against 120MW installed capacity.
4. The Victoria Falls is firing 118MW of power to the grid.
5. Maamba Thermal Coal plant is contributing 300MW to the grid.
Total generation capacity from ZESCO stands at 1,493MW while Independent Power Production – IPP contributes an additional 493MW pushing the total to 1,901MW versus a peak demand of 1,900MW.
The IPPs include Lunsemfwa Hydro and Maamba Thermal. Average demand oscillates around 1,608MW.
Zambia still has to import about 75MW From Mozambique, the Minister said.