Press briefing by Mr Vincent Nyirenda, Chief Projects Officer, Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc
Kitwe, August 17th, 2022
Our media colleagues,
I would like to welcome you all to this press briefing aimed at updating you on the various projects the company has been working on.
From the onset, I would like to say that undoubtedly, the operating environment has improved tremendously with Government making it very clear that it supports private sector participation in growing the country’s economy.
Consequent to this, the statutory instrument (SI) that had declared CEC transmission and distribution assets as common carrier was cancelled towards end of 2021.
Further, and quite importantly, CEC and ZESCO negotiated and concluded a new Bulk Supply Agreement (BSA) effective 1 April 2022 after two years of the two companies conducting business with each other without an agreement which was never an ideal situation for both parties to be in.
As a company, we are encouraged by the signing of the new BSA with our counterparts, ZESCO, especially that we believe it provides a win-win situation for both companies. And going forward, we can leverage this mutually supportive framework to invest more in the power sector in Zambia.
As some of you might be aware, we have been working on our biofuel plant. As for the future of this plant, we are waiting to see how this pans out given the direction the world in general and our particular is taking as regards biofuels. However, CEC is doing other renewable energy projects in the meantime, principally solar and wind.
As regards our solar project on Jambo Drive here in Riverside, we are currently working on expanding the 1 MW solar power plant, by scaling it up by an additional 33 MW. Works there are ongoing and we believe that the project will be completed before the end of 2022.
On our Kabompo power project, we submitted this to the GET FiT programme in an expression of interest and it was short listed. However, due to the macroeconomic challenges the country has been facing in the last few years, the project (and others by other promoters) has not moved pending resolution of various issues by the Government.
On Luapula hydros, CEC did a lot of work a number of years ago and we have a lot of information concerning the hydropower potential that is on that river. However, development of that potential is a process that must be led by the Government and CEC would be amenable to discussing the matter with the Government, even the possibility of working with other partners.
May I also take this opportunity to applaud ZESCO on their announcement regarding the establishment of charging points nationwide to back the evolution of electric motor vehicles. The use of electric vehicles is a key part of the future – if we are to save our planet and we applaud ZESCO for this initiative. CEC will evaluate the opportunities in this field going forward and make a decision at an appropriate time on our participation in this evolution.
Our current initiatives to safeguard the planet for our future generations include adding solar generation to the national grid, tree planting, and phasing out air conditioners that produce greenhouse gases.
I thank you all.
