The power crisis on Africa’s red metal producer Zambia has detented to 871 Mega watts from 872MW a few months earlier as Nava Bharat’s Maamba Collieries plant operations came back to life to fire 135MW into the grid.
This was contained in statement by Energy Minister Matthews Nkhuwa in his Ministerial statement to parliament. Nkhuwa informed parley that the power utilities exposure (debt) to ESKOM was $4.2million after a net effects of a debt swap of $4million and an outright payment of $3.4million for the $11.6million outstanding, a condition precedent to the 300MW import contract.
The Minister further stated that ZESCO has been importing 218MW of the 300MW due to transmission wheeling path limitations. The power utility has nonetheless hedged the gap with active trading in the Southern Africa Power Pool.
Zambia’s power crisis remains dire given receding lake levels at the Kariba that were last reported at 10% (476.93m) versus 55% a year ago same time with levels at 1.48m above the minimum shut down level.
Despite the critical power generation challenges increased rainfall along the Zambezi catchment areas is showing signs of increase pulse at key spots of the Zambezi River namely Chavuma (140m3/s increase from 84m3/s), Nana farm (275m3/s from 256m3/s), Ngonye (269m3/s from 227m3/s) and Victoria falls (252m3/s from 234m3/s). *readings are comparisons with flows a year ago.
Average generation in the week ending 10 December was 1,414MW of which 86% was supplied by ZESCO and the 198MW was from IPPs who are providing 50% of the expected 380MW capacity.
The Kwacha Arbitrageur.