NAMIBIA is to import additional power from Zambia to boost that country’s energy supply system,NamPower chief executive officer Paulimus Shilambaa has said.
Mr Shilamba said Namibia has applied for an additional 100 Mega Watts (MW) of power to be imported from Zambia through Zesco.
Nampower presently receives 50 MW of electricity daily from Zesco and the firm is negotiating with the Zambian power utility firm to provide Namibia with more power to Namibia.
“We have requested for an additional 100 MW of electricity daily and with the recent expansion of power stations in Zambia, it could be possible for Zesco to sell us more power,” Mr Shilamba said in a statement.
Negotiations over a possible fresh deal with Zesco had reached at an advanced stage as NamPower was also negotiating for increased power imports from Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
About 45 per cent of the electricity consumed in Namibia is generated locally, while 55 per cent is made up of imports from Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Zesco exports electricity to some countries in the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) during off peak hours when most consumers require minimal usage of energy.
Zambia’s electricity generation capacity lies between 1, 730 MW and 1,820 MW and exporting part of this energy, will earn the country an extra US$2 million a month.
Times of Zambia
Chipalo Mulenga
its funy hw a small group of individuals are making most Zambians tht live below th dutom line suffer even more. thy dnt knw how it feels 2be down here because thy re so up thr. its evident tht in Zambia thr isn’t enuf power 2 sustain all th major cities as a people on th suffering end we shld do something abt It.