POWER GENERATION

The Zambia Power Rehabilitation Project (PRP)’s overall objective was to support the Government’s objectives of enhancing the ability of Zambia’s Electricity Supply Industry to provide electricity at least cost and in an efficient manner to stimulate more and inclusive growth in the Zambian economy.

The Power Rehabilitation Project (PRP) involved the rehabilitation and up rating of the three major hydro power stations namely Kafue Gorge, Kariba North Bank and Victoria Falls.

The major achievements of the PRP has been the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Kafue Gorge Power Station from 900 to 990 Mega Watts, (MW), the reinstating of the Victoria Falls Power Station to its full generating capacity of 108 Mega Watts as well as the up-rating of the Kariba North Bank power station from 600 MW to 720 MW.  The total generation capacity yielded from the PRP is 210 Mega Watts (MW).

The main hydro power projects being implemented by ZESCO include the following;

• Kariba North Bank Extension (360 MW) to be completed by 2013.
• Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro Project (750 MW) to be completed by 2017.

The 750 Mega Watts Kafue Gorge Lower Hydro Power project is among the widely anticipated power projects not only in Zambia but the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) as it is expected to give the much needed relief to the power deficit and possibly turn Zambia into a regional power hub.

• Itezhi-Tezhi Hydro Power Project (120 MW) to be completed in February 2015.

POWER STATION	GENERATION CAPACITY (MW)	AVAILABLE CAPACITY (MW)	CAPACITY AFTER UPRATING (MW)	PROJECTED CAPACITY BY  2015  (MW)
Kafue Gorge	990	990	990	990
Kariba North Bank	720	690	720	720
Victoria Falls	108	108	108	108
KNBE	-	-	-	360
Kafue Gorge Lower	-	-	-	750
ITT	-	-	-	120
		AVAILABLE CAPACITY (MW)	CAPACITY AFTER UPRATING (MW)
Lunzua	0.75	0.75	15	15
Lusiwasi	12	12	-	27*
Chishimba	6	6	15	15
Musonda	5	5	10	10
Shiwang’andu	-	-	-	1
	1841.75	1811.75	1858	3116

NOTES: * Development of Lusiwasi Upper 15MW (further development of Lusiwasi Lower 86MW by 2017, the existing plant 12MW will be decommissioned).