Wednesday, November 10, 2010

CEC PLANS TO CONSTRUCT $120 MILLION KABOMPO HYDRO POWER PALNT AT ADVANCED STAGE


COPPERBELT ENERGY CORPORATION, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN MR HANSON SINDOWE HAS POINTED THAT PLANS TO CONSTRUCT THE 120 MILLION DOLLARS HYDRO POWER STATION IN KAPOMPO HAVE REACHED AN ADVANCED STAGE.
THE CONSTRUCTION WORKS OF 40 MW HYDRO POWER PLANT WHICH WILL CREATE ABOUT 1,000 JOBS IS EXPECTED TO COMMENCE BY MARCH 2011 AND WILL TAKE 4 YEARS.
MR SINDOWE EXPLAINED THAT WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES IN JULY 2010, THE FIRM IS NOW AT A STAGE WHERE THEY WANT TO IDENTIFY A FINANCIAL MANAGER TO HELP THEM SOURCE FOR FUNDS.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT PLAN IS AT DRAFT STAGE AWAITING A FEW ISSUES TO ADDRESS BEFORE IT IS HANDED OVER THE ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL OF ZAMBIA FOR SCRUTINY AND APPROVAL.
AND MR. SINDOWE SAID THAT 29 HOUSEHOLDS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR RESETTLEMENT TO PAVE WAY FOR THE PROJECT AND SAID THE FIRM WILL BUILD CONCRETE HOUSES FOR THE FAMILIES AFFECTED.
COPPERBELT ENERGY CORPORATION HAS AGREED WITH THE POWER UTILITY ZESCO LIMITED OVER THE SUPPLY OF POWER AT THE CONSTRUCTION SITE AND ADDED THAT CONSTRUCTION OF TRANSMISSION LINES WILL BEGIN SOON.
AND DR EUSTERN MAMBWE PERMANENT SECRETARY OF NORTH WESTERN PROVINCE PRAISED CEC MANAGEMENT FOR THEIR RESILIENCE AND COMMITMENT TO THE PROJECT NOTING THAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HYDRO POWER STATION IN KABOMPO DISTRICT WILL BE THE BIGGEST PROJECT TAKING PLACE IN THE PROVINCE ASIDE MINING.
DR MAMBWE SAID THAT WITH THE POWER DEFICIT IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY THE EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PUT ON POWER GENERATION AND WAS HOPEFUL THAT THE COMPANY WILL INCREASE THE STATION’S CAPACITY TO GENERATE POWER FROM THE PROJECTED 40 MW GIVEN THAT ENERGY DEMANDS IN THE PROVINCE ARE GROWING.
ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT DATA, LUMWANA MINE ALONE IN SOLWEZI WAS CONSUMING 68 MW OF POWER WHILE KANSANSHI WAS USING 60 MW POWER CONSUMPTION FOR SOLWEZI TOWN HAS MOVED FROM 8 MW TO 18 MW AND THE OTHER 6 DISTRICTS IN THE PROVINCE NOT YET CONNECTED TO THE NATIONAL GRID WILL REQUIRE ABOUT 30 MW.
EXPERTS HAVE ESTIMATED THAT THE PROVINCE WILL REQUIRE ABOUT 300 MW OF POWER IN THE NEXT 3 YEARS AND TRANSPORTING POWER FROM KARIBA DAM IN SIAVONGA TO NORTH WESTERN ZAMBIA COSTS MORE THAN BUILDING A NEW POWER PLANT IN THE PROVINCE.
ENDS////////////

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