CEC to increase C/Belt power supply
THE COPPERBELT Energy Corporation says its power supply to the Copperbelt is this year expected to increase from the current 470 megawatts to 530 megawatts.
CEC managing director for operations Neil Croucher said expanding mining operations, coupled with new investments in greenfield projects, was driving power demand.
Croucher said mines’ average maximum demand increased to 481 megawatts last year from 470 megawatts in 2010.
In the aftermath of the global economic downturn of 2009 which depressed international copper prices to below US $2, 700 per tonne, the country has seen a surge in mining activities in the country, driven by increasing demand for commodities which was helping to sustain current high copper prices.
“We expect power demand from our customers to grow averaging 530 megawatts by end of this year from the current 470,” Croucher said in an interview.
Croucher said that overall power demand by mines on its network was expected to grow by between 30 to 40 per cent by 2016 as mining activities on the Copperbelt continue to expand.
He said some of enhancements being undertaken on CEC’s transmission network to supply new mining activities included the construction of new infrastructure at greenfield Muliashi mine which is part of the China Non-Ferrous Mining Corporation’s majority owned Luanshya Copper Mines, and also at Non-Ferrous Africa Mining Plc’s Chambishi Copper Mines.
The other enhancement included building new transmission network to Konkola North Copper Mines which was being developed jointly between Vale and Africa Rainbow Minerals.
Croucher said the development of the US $150 million Kabompo Gorge Hydro project was progressing well and was expected to reach financial close by third quarter of 2012.
Standard Bank of South Africa has been appointed as debt arranger and advisor for the 40 megawatts project.
A special purpose company has been established as a subsidiary of CEC called ‘Kabompo Hydro Power Company Limited’ to undertake the project.
CEC, the biggest supplier of power to the mining sector is a diversified Lusaka Stock Exchange-listed local energy firm which also owns 50 per cent in Realtime Technology Alliance Africa-Zambia Limited and CEC Liquid Telecommunication Limited.
