Page 19 - AfrElec Week 03 2023

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

Zambia, UAE sign $2bn

deal for power projects

ZAMBIA ZAMBIA’S state-owned power utility has signed country, within the next few years.”
an agreement with a United Arab Emirates’ Zambia is experiencing electricity outages as
(UAE) renewable energy company Masdar to long as 12 hours daily due to high demand and
develop $2bn worth of solar energy projects gen- a drought that depleted its hydropower produc-
erating some 2,000 MW in the southern African tion capacity. Hichilema said the ZESCO-Mas-
country. dar agreement is of historical significance as
President Hakainde Hichilema said on social his country has developed about 3,500 MW of
media on Tuesday (January 17) that the Zam- capacity in the past 58 years of independence
bia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) from British colonial rule, yet the Tuesday deal
had inked the memorandum of understanding could deliver 2,000 MW in a shorter period.
(MoU) and joint development agreement with The deal, he noted is an indication of renewed
Masdar. foreign investor confidence in his country since
“This is not a loan but a capital injection in he assumed power in August 2021. “With this
which the Zambian people, through ZESCO, projected increase in electricity supply, Zambi-
will be partners in shareholding,” he said while in ans shall be assured of even more accelerated
the UAE to attend the January 14-19 Abu Dhabi economic development and increased employ-
Sustainability Week. ment opportunities for our citizens,” he posted.
“The projects shall be undertaken in a phased Masdar has 61 renewable energy projects
manner, which will commence immediately, spread across the Middle East, Europe, North
starting with the phased installation of 500 America, Australia, South Pacific Islands, the
MW. Once completed, the projects will result Caribbean and Africa. ™
in an additional 2,000 MW of electricity in the

Zimbabwe electricity supplier owed

$116mn installs pre-paid meters

KENYA ZIMBABWE’S state-owned electricity distribu- director, said customers on post-paid meters are
tion company has launched a $35mn pre-paid fewer than those using pre-paid meters but gen-
and smart metering project to promote more erate most of the company’s revenues.
effective energy use and revenue collection, a “It is therefore imperative that these points
local daily writes. be migrated to the pre-paid metering platform
The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission without delay and as such ZETDC has resumed
and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a unit pre-paid meter installation starting with residen-
of power utility ZESA Holdings, is owed about tial clients and small business units,” he said.
ZWD42bn ($116mn) by users who are still on Since it launched pre-paid metering in 2012,
post-paid meters, state-owned daily The Herald ZETDC has migrated 751,000 users while
reported on Wednesday (January 18). 103,000 remain on post-paid and load-limit
Pre-paid meters will be set up in residential platforms.™
areas, farms and small businesses while smart
meters will be for medium and large consumers.
Ralph Katsande, ZETDC acting managing

Week 03 18•January•2023 www. NEWSBASE .com P19