Electricity Imports to Increase Daily Supply from 3 to 5 Hours

Zesco Ltd’s emergency tariff adjustment took effect on Friday, November 1st. The adjustment has allowed Zesco to ramp up electricity imports from South Africa’s Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., EDM of Mozambique, and the Southern African Power Pool, bringing some relief to consumers.

Zesco has stated that, due to the adjustment, the daily electricity supply will increase from 3 to 5 hours. To support this improvement, the electricity supplier has implemented an updated national power rationing schedule, optimising power imports and enhancing output from Independent Power Producers where possible.

The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) initially approved Zesco’s emergency tariff adjustment application in early October to help the firm generate about 15 million US dollars monthly to contribute toward importing 788 megawatts of electricity.

“While Zesco aims to provide a consistent five-hour supply, the availability of power imports and other unforeseen factors may occasionally affect this schedule,” the utility said in a statement on Friday.

Furthermore, according to Zesco Corporate Affairs Manager Rose Sibisi, the weekend electricity supply may be even longer. Sibisi explained on Monday's Phoenix FM Breakfast show that citizens will now enjoy a longer weekend energy supply due to “reduced industrial activities on those days.”

The energy regulator will review the tariffs after three months.