Zambia totters towards energy poverty

By Derrick Silimina

To observers, it is incomprehensible that countries like Zambia with active perennial waterways such as the Zambezi River sway back and forth on the verge of energy poverty. 

With up to eight hours of rolling blackouts daily, Zesco’s woes have a negative ripple effect locally and on its neighbours who benefit from Zambia’s excess power generation during the bygone times of plenty. 

“The ongoing load shedding programme implemented on March 11, 2024, is a necessary measure to address the national power deficit caused by low generation capacity,” Zesco Managing Director Victor Mapani said recently. 

Mapani hinted that power generation was expected to decrease to 214 megawatts, a significant drop from the 386 megawatts generated in 2023. The decline was attributed to the reduction in water levels at the Kariba Dam. 

Erratic power availability has compelled businesses to go nocturnal, run expensive diesel generators or face bankruptcy. Zesco’s failure to adhere to its load shedding schedule has aggravated matters for small enterprises. 

LOWER 

According to the hydrological outlook at Kariba Dam, the Zambezi River flows at Victoria Falls are significantly lower at 550 cubic metres per second than those recorded on the same date last year at 2,595 cubic metres per second. 

“It should be noted that the lake level is lower during this period than was recorded last year during the same period. Furthermore, the lake level has been receding since the last update of 26th March 2024, dropping from 477.51m to 477.46m recorded on 10th April 2024,” Zambezi River Authority Chief Executive Officer Munyaradzi Munodawafa recently said. 

Feeble attempts by the power utility company to explain the dynamics of low water supplies from the Zambezi River have received little sympathy from electricity-starved citizens. Water led into the turbines is monitored and controlled by the Zambezi River Authority, which is at liberty to limit its flow at will. 

EFFICIENCY

Energy experts say keeping utilities like ZESCO in state hands impedes efficiency, adding that private-public partnerships or outright privatisation are a medium-to-long-term option. 

They observe that it is unlikely that state-owned enterprises can attract enough finance to recapitalize generation equipment and transmission infrastructure considering the woeful record of corporate governance. 

As long as Zambia languishes at the bottom of energy poverty, it will take time to make a strong push towards industrialization. 

In this respect, poverty and darkness beckons. Consequently, there is an increased appetite to invest in alternative sources of renewable energy such as solar for various socio-economic needs.