ZESCO Limited has signed US $46m loan agreement with the development Bank of Germany (KfW) for the rehabilitation and upgrading of Chishimba falls power station in Kasama Districk, Zambia. The 15MW power station is set to help meet demand for electricity in the country.
The project will include the rehabilitation and expansion of the power plant and refurbishing of all the street lights leading to the plant side. The project will also include the construction of a nursery for the people and conversion of the older part of the plant into a tourist destination.
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Chishimba falls power station
According to Zesco managing director, Victor Mundende, the project is likely to increase Zesco’s average annual electricity production by over 60,000MW per hour(MWH) of electricity supply into the national grid by the end of 2021.
“The Chishimba falls hydropower station was commissioned in 1959 with an installed capacity of 0.9MW, that was later expanded to 6MW in 1971. The Chishimba falls scheme was originally conceived as part of Zambia Rural Electrification program to provide power to the town of Kasama other small settlements in the area.
To support the growth in settlement and commerce in and around Kasama, Zesco Limited extended its 330Kv transmission network from Pensulo substation, in Serenje district, to Kasama in 2016. This extension led to a marked improvement in the quality stability of electricity supplies in this part of the country,” he added.
The Chishimba Falls power station will reduce poverty in rural areas, especially those in the north where population densities are low. It will also contribute highly to the alleviation of power deficit which the country is facing.
