ZESCO Integrated Management Systems is progressing construction of Mujila and Itehzi tezhi hydro power projects in Zambia, the company’s senior manager Ellenestina Mwelwa said.
Lusaka Times cited Mwelwa as saying that the two projects are expected to provide electricity in both the rural and urban communities of Zambia.
The Mujila project creates approximately 400 jobs while the Itezhi tezhi create an estimated 1000 jobs.
The two hydro power plants, upon completion, are also expected to contribute to the nation’s economic growth thus having a jump in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Mwelwa added.
The Mujila and Itehzi tezhi hydro projects Itezhi tezhi hydro project is expected to be complete in 2018 and by the end of 2014 respectively.
"Therefore, all our new developmental projects which are mitigation programmes, that is why we are encouraging hydro power schemes in order to export clean power."
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By GlobalDataMwelwa said lack of resources has always been the project’s implementation biggest challenge.
In a separate interview, Climate Change and Resource Management expert Lemmy Namayanga said, the government has been called to consider electricity supply through renewable energy such as solar panels throughout the country.
The Zambezi River low water levels cause power cuts, which the government has been called for have a backup plan requirement in order to prevent power cuts in the near future, Namayanga said.
"If we invest in that as a nation it will lessen the power cuts we are experiencing as we are blessed with solar, the current power generating stations were built long ago when the population was less and yet the population is growing," Namayanga added.
Image: Hydroelectric Power Plant. Photo: courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee/Freedigitalphotos.net.
