Energy Minister in Africa’s second largest copper hotspot says Zambia is considering supplementing the record low levels at the Kariba dam with flows from the Congo River. Matthews Nkhuwa said in Lusaka on 21 August that the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe would soon be engaging the Democratic Republic of Congo on the likelihood of tapping flows from the River Congo. Should all go as planned, it is projected that feasibility studies should commence in 3 months time on avenues to actualize this proposal.
Zambia currently grapples with energy bottlenecks after the worst ever drought that has seen lake levels at most of its water bodies plummet to lows. The copper producer is running a 273MW energy deficit which the power utility has resolved to apportion across the sectors with an average of 4 hours on a daily basis.
The energy minister further stated that Zambia’s Kariba will continue to generate 340MW of power upto yearend if consumers continue with prudent use of energy. Nkhuwa said prudent use of the energy grid should continue so as to minimize the hours of rationing currently ongoing.