Zesco Limited, Zambia’s state-owned power company, has decided to maintain its reduced electricity generation levels despite a slight increase in the water levels at Lake Kariba. This decision is aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability and preventing further depletion of the reservoir, which supplies water to the Kariba North Bank Power Plant.
Zesco spokesperson Matongo Maumbi explained that increasing electricity production prematurely could lead to further exhaustion of the water resources, leaving the country vulnerable in case of insufficient rainfall. While acknowledging the challenges posed by power rationing on households, businesses, and the economy, Maumbi stressed the company’s responsibility to protect Lake Kariba as a critical electricity source for the future.
The water level at Lake Kariba has risen slightly to 475.87 meters from the operational minimum level of 475.50 meters, although it remains lower than last year’s 477.28 meters. The usable storage remains critically low, with only 2.61% available compared to 12.32% at the same time last year. The amount of water available for hydropower generation is still insufficient to support sustainable operations, especially given the unpredictable regional rainfall patterns.
In response, Zesco is exploring long-term strategies to diversify Zambia’s energy mix, including significant investments in solar power, to reduce dependence on hydropower. The country is currently facing an electricity deficit due to poor rains during the 2023/2024 season, and consumers are experiencing rotational power cuts, receiving only seven hours of electricity a day.
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