Zambia is now importing 218 megawatts of power from South Africa’s Electricity Supply Commission (ESCOM) during off-peak hours.
Matongo Maumbi, a spokesman for the Zambian state-owned power utility Zesco, told state television on Sunday that the imports commenced on Aug. 1, with the aim of cushioning the power deficit facing the country.
Africa’s second-largest copper producer is also importing electricity from Mozambique.
“The imports have enabled Zesco to reach stabilisation levels as the demand for power keeps increasing. This means we can now supply power to critical installations such as hospitals, mines, and other industries,” said Maumbi.
Following a drought in the 2023–24 rainy season, Zambia has lost 1,000 megawatts of power generation, causing consumers to face an average daily routine of 12 hours of rolling blackouts.
Maumbi mentioned that Zesco has also acquired generators to support public installations.
“We have procured 22 generators so far, which are expected to arrive in the country within the month. These generators will be installed in public institutions like hospitals, market areas, and other locations that are challenging to isolate from the national grid during load shedding,” he added.
