The Zambain President Edgar Lungu has announced that government will next week pay US$14 million to add up on the already paid US$ 10 Million towards the importation of power from Eskom of South Africa.
This is after a decision by government to import 300 Mega Watts of power from South Africa of which it is expected to pay US$44 million for the importation.
Speaking when addressing journalists in Lusaka at State House on November 8 2019 attended by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, President Lungu stated that he is aware of the current power deficit in the country and that the lasting solution is to invest more in renewable energy such as Solar.
He has since directed the power utility company ZESCO to conclude the solar project by mid-next year. “The 120MW solar PV project under the Get-Fit programme has six 20MW projects and they will reach commercial operation date in the third quarter of 2020,” he said.
The president further said that the imports of power are a stop-gap measure as the country waits for the coming on board of the 750 MW of power from Kafue Gorge Lower in early March next year adding that the project is at 80 percent completion stage.
The Zambian leader further stated that progress has been made in the energy sector including electricity and petroleum and that governments intention is to enable 100 percent Private Sector importation of fuel and get tariffs for electricity to cost reflective levels.
