No One Has Been Spared—HH on Power Crisis

Government has expressed its commitment to rapidly address the energy crisis in the country, acknowledging the widespread pain and frustration caused by outages.

President Hakainde Hichilema said key to this strategy are sweeping policy reforms designed to deliver new generation capacity and implement cost-reflective tariffs to attract the much-needed investment.

Speaking during the ceremonial opening of the Fifth Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly, President Hichilema cited the open access for independent power producers and traders, net metering, power blending, and tariff blending, as the key reforms.

He noted that these measures are critical to preventing economic collapse, stimulate investment, and offer a fairer price for power, even from expensive sources.

Zambians have negatively been experiencing reduced energy supply with some areas subjected to less than 3 hours of electricity per day, which ZESCO has attributed to system instability affecting the electricity network.

“The current hardships in the power sector have severely affected the livelihoods of our citizens. Small businesses are suffering and incomes are being eroded. We feel the pain and frustration of power outages faced by our citizens which include our families, friends and loved ones. No one has been spared.”

“Our commitment is to deliver new generation capacity through sweeping policy reforms and implement cost reflective tariffs to drive more investment. We are undertaking development in transmission infrastructure as well as promoting off-grid power solutions in rural areas beyond the reach of the national grid,” President Hichilema said.

He said the government is intensifying the energy mix to enhance the sector’s resilience against climate change impacts, stating that the new solar projects that will be commissioned over the next 12 months will generate a confirmed total of 740 megawatts.

The President reiterated that Zambia’s over dependence on hydro-electric power which currently stands at 85 percent of its energy mix has exposed the country’s vulnerability to climate change.

“We are diversifying the energy mix to make the sub-sector resilient to climate change and increase our generation capacity. Notable interventions include the 94 megawatts Copperbelt energy corporation Itimpi solar power station and the 100 megawatts Chisamba solar phase-1 project, which we recently commissioned.”

“Works on the 136 megawatts Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) Itimpi Solar Power Station phase-2 are on-going, while phase-2 of the 100 megawatts Chisamba Solar Project will be commencing soon,” he said.

He implored individuals, particularly those who can afford it, to invest in solar for their homes and utilize net metering to sell excess power back to the grid, npoting that this initiative would free up electricity for others, including small businesses in compounds.

“We have directed the Ministry of Energy to ensure that supply to our townships is prioritized, while encouraging and incentivizing the installation of solar home systems where appropriate. Citizens have an opportunity to supply into the grid and benefit from net-metering, even when Zesco power supply is fully restored in due course,” President Hichilema added.