/ 26 December 2005

Zambia shuts down major power station after landslide

Zambia shut down its biggest hydro-electric power station on Sunday after a major landslide caused by heavy rains, an official announced.

Heavy rains swept through the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydroelectric Power Project (KGHP) and caused a landslide that could have destroyed the machinery at the project, Zambia Electricity Supply Company Rodnie Sisala told state-run radio.

”We decided to shut down the station so that engineers can work on the project after we experienced a landslide due to heavy rains,” Sisala said.

The shutdown is likely to worsen an energy crisis in Zambia as the country is currently facing power blackouts caused by the ongoing rehabilitation programmes on other power stations.

Zambia had been exporting electricity to its neighbouring countries — including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania — but suspended the exports this year following drastic fall in generation capacity due to the rehabilitation programmes.

Zambia is now spending about $1-million per month on electricity imports and the energy company is expected to double its imports following the shut down of the KGHP.

Zambia is upgrading its hydro-electricity power stations in order to meet the growing demand for power in the Zambian mines and rising regional electricity exports. — Sapa-AFP