ZESCO Limited is set to implement emergency maintenance works on two generating units at Kafue Gorge Upper (KGU) and Kariba North Bank (KNB) Power Stations which will lead to level one load shedding throughout the country.
In a statement, ZESCO Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs Dr. John Kunda said the maintenance of the two generating units is critical to the sustainability of the generating system to enable a stable electricity network.
These emergency maintenance works are urgent and cannot be postponed, otherwise we risk the safety of our generating units which may lead to severe damage to equipment and compromise the future generation’s capacity to meet the system demand,
Dr. Kunda.
Dr. Kunda added that the first stage of load management will commence on May 10, 2021 from 5pm t0 9pm and run for 15 days while the second stage will be implemented in June, 2021, running for a further 15 days.
He further said ZESCO strictly adheres a proactive maintenance schedule in order to ensure the longevity of all its assets and increase efficiency and reliably of electricity supply.
We therefore appeal to customers to exercise patience and switch to alternative sources of supply during this period to avoid inconvenience,
Dr. Kunda.
Level one load shedding will include 1 to 4 hours of loss of power and will lead to the loss of approximately 160 Mega Watts (MW) of generation capacity.