Kabompo project wins government kudos
Deputy Minister for Mines, Energy and Water Development, Charles Zulu, says timely realisation of Zambia’s abundant hydro energy potential is only attainable with practical private sector participation in the sector.
Mr. Zulu said this recently when he visited CEC’s Kabompo Gorge hydroelectric project in Mwinilung’a District of the North-Western Province.
He observed that of Zambia’s identified 6800MW hydropower potential, only one third had been developed; making private sector investments as that of CEC very important and necessary particularly at a time when the country was dealing with a crippling power deficit that has necessitated load shedding.
Mr. Zulu underscored the need for urgent resolution of challenges delaying the full implementation of the Kabompo project and pledged his Ministry’s support by immediately engaging other government departments involved to ensure close-out of outstanding agreements and approvals. He hailed CEC’s investment as a key contribution to increasing national power generation capacity.
Managing Director, Owen Silavwe, assured the government, through Mr. Zulu, of the Company’s interest and resolve to contribute to the development of new power generation capacity in Zambia with its flagship 40MW Kabompo project evidencing that commitment.
Silavwe said that the USD220 million Kabompo project had added benefits of being located in the northern part of the country where the major load centres were found, thus, it would contribute to stabilising the country’s national grid as well as adding to the much required geographical diversification of Zambia’s generation capacity.
“Even before signing the Implementation Agreement with Government, CEC has already spent about USD32 million on the early works while K6 million has been spent on compensating the people affected by the project,” disclosed Silavwe.
He cited low tariffs, the inordinately long period of time it had taken to agree the Implementation Agreement with the Government and resolution of land issues as the key challenges standing in the way of getting the project to full implementation.
