During a recent visit to view the ongoing construction at the Itezhi-Tezhi Hydro Power Station, acting Zambian President Guy Scott indicated the government’s commitment to the continued development of the power station, which is expected supply electricity to customers in the Copperbelt and North-Western provinces upon completion.
“The works on the Itezhi-Tezhi hydropower station are progressing well,” said Dr. Scott, “They are putting up modern high efficiency equipment which will be able to supply electricity to the Copperbelt and North-Western province.”
According to the Managing Director of the state-owned power company, ZESCO, Cyprian Chitundu, who spoke at the end of the power station tour, work on the station is 73% complete and the first turbine is on schedule to be commissioned in June 2015.
“We will be commissioning the first turbine in June next year which is 60 megawatts with the second turbine to be commissioned in October bringing the total to 120 megawatts,” he explained.
Mr. Chitundu went on to explain that the estimated USD 250 million that will be spent on the project will help to reduce load shedding in Zambia and that, in addition to work on the hydro power station, transformers are also being installed across the country.
Of the total installed Electricity Generation Capacity of Zambia of 2,347 MW, hydropower is the most important energy source in the country with 2,259 MW (96%), followed by diesel contributing about 4% to the national energy supply.
