Basic HTML Version
139
www.ebizguides.com
Energy & Water
ZAMBEZI RIVER AUTHORITY (ZRA)
Kariba House
32 Cha Cha Cha Rd.
PO Box 30233 Lusaka
Tel: 260-211-228401/2, 260-211-227970/3
Fax: 260-211-227498
zaraho@coppernet.zm
www.zaraho.org.zm
The Zambezi River Authority was established as a
corporate body in 1987 by parallel legislation of the
parliaments of Zambia and Zimbabwe following the
reconstitution of the Central African Power Corpora-
tion - under the Zambezi River Authority Acts (Act
No. 17 and 19 Zambia and Zimbabwe respectively)
and is jointly owned by the Governments of Zambia
and Zimbabwe in equal proportions.
The Zambezi River Authority is governed by a Coun-
cil of Ministers consisting of four members, two of
who are Ministers in the Government of the Republic
of Zambia, and two that are Ministers in the Gov-
ernment of the Republic of Zimbabwe. The Ministers
designated by both Governments to be members of
the Council are those holding portfolios of Energy on
the one hand and Finance on the other hand.
The Zambezi River Authority aims to effectively man-
age and develop, in an integrated and sustainable
manner, the water resources of the common Zambe-
zi River and the Kariba Dam Complex for power gen-
eration and other uses to ensure that all stakehold-
ers benefit from these resources and are satisfied.
The Authority takes responsibility for the operation
and maintenance of the Kariba Dam Complex, in-
vestigation and development of new dam sites on
the Zambezi River and is also charged with the task
of analyzing and disseminating hydrological and en-
vironmental information pertaining to the Zambezi
River and Lake Kariba.
ZESCO LIMITED
Ernest Mupwaya
Managing Director
Stand No 6949, Great East Rd.
PO Box 33304 Lusaka
Tel: +260-211-361111
Fax: +260-211-222753
zesco@zesco.co.zm
www.zesco.co.zm
Activity: Electricity generation, transmission distribu-
tion and supply
Date of Creation: 1970
ZESCO Limited is Zambia’s National Power Utility
with an installed generation capacity of 1,840 Mega
Watts, 90 percent of which is hydro generated from
its three major power stations, namely the 990 Mega
Watt Kafue Gorge Power Station, the 720 Mega Watt
Kariba North Bank Power Station and the 108 Mega
Watt Victoria Falls Power Station. ZESCO also owns
and runs 6 small hydropower-generating units con-
centrated in the Northern part of the country namely
Musonda, Chishimba, Lunzua, and Lusiwasi power
stations.
ZESCO was established in 1970. In 1972, the com-
pany took over several municipal power operations,
which included Livingstone and Ndola. In late 1972, it
took over Kabwe, Luanshya, Mufulira, Kitwe and Chin-
gola. The aim of these take-overs was to enlarge the
company’s area of supply to cover the entire country.
As a vertically integrated national public utility com-
pany, ZESCO generates, transmits, distributes
and supplies electricity to a customer base of over
400,000 that is expected to grow at the rate of
72,000 customers per year. An additional increase
of 65,000 customers per annum is expected, result-
ing from a World Bank funded ‘Increased Access to
Electricity Services’ Project.
Under the Company’s strategic plan, the power util-
ity is set to increase its generation capacity by 556
Mega Watts. This additional generation capacity is
expected from the advanced 360 Mega Watt Kariba
North Bank Extension project located in the south-
ern region of Zambia bordering Zimbabwe, on the
famous Lake Kariba Dam at a cost of US$415 mil-
lion jointly funded by the China Export Import Bank
and The Development Bank of Southern Africa. In
addition, the 120 Mega Watt Itezhi-Tezhi hydropower
project (a Public – Private partnership venture with
ZESCO Ltd and Tata Africa Pty) located in the South-
ern province of Zambia at a cost of US$230 million is
also soon to be commissioned.
ZESCO has put in place a robust growth plan which
aims to achieve immediate, short and medium term
measures to meet the growing power demand in
Zambia and in the Southern African region. Domes-
tic power demand is growing at a rate of 3-4 per-
cent per annum driven by significant developments
in the mining, agriculture, tourism, construction and
housing sectors resulting from the conducive envi-
ronment currently prevailing in the country promoting
developmental growth.