…reinforcing energy security to the mining industry
Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC), the power generation, transmission, distribution, and a major supplier of power to the mining industry in the region, intends to proactively react to energy deficit affecting Zambia’s mining industry.
Put on spotlight at this year’s Mining Indaba, CEC Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Mutale Mukuka shared how the company intends to respond to energy deficit, ensuring a stable and reliable power supply for the mining sector – the engine of the country’s economy.
Mukuka said CEC has undertaken urgent and targeted investments to stabilize transmission infrastructure and ensure continued reliability for its customers.
“These investments extend beyond Zambia’s transmission backbone to include enhancements to interconnectors linking Zambia with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“However, further investments in transmission infrastructure are essential to prevent grid constraints from becoming bottlenecks in the delivery of reliable electricity to consumers,” said Mukuka.
Mukuka highlighted CEC’s recent investments in renewable energy, with one 60MW solar plant commissioned during the year.
“The power generated from this plant together with CEC’s other generating plants was redirected to mitigate the energy deficit, further reinforcing Zambia’s energy security.”
He emphasized that the integration and interconnection of the regional power transmission infrastructure within the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) enabled CEC to swiftly activate its contractual arrangements with regional utilities and generators.
In addition, CEC was able to support the national energy shortfall, supplying approximately 37% of its Copperbelt mining customers from power imports in 2024.
“This decisive action, along with contributions from other power traders, not only bolstered energy reliability but also positioned Zambia as a key player in the regional energy landscape and emphasized the need for more regional power transmission systems connectivity.”
Mukuka also highlighted the challenges within the transmission network, noting that reduced energy flows had strained the transmission system.
Meanwhile Mukuka commended the government for fast tracking 2024 legislative reforms in the electricity sector.
“These reforms promote greater private sector participation in both power transmission and generation, laying the foundation for a more resilient and sustainable energy industry to drive Zambia’s economic growth.”
CEC is and is a member of the Southern African Power Pool, a pioneering international power trader in Southern Africa. The company’s commitment to energy efficiency comes as the SADC region continues to face power shortages due primarily to inadequate infrastructure development across the board, and in recent times, the debilitating effects of climate change.
According to SADC Executive Secretary, Elias Magosi on the regional energy mix chart, coal makes 60% of electricity generation, while hydropower is at 24%, with renewable energy trailing at around 10%.
“Climate change has laid bare our limitations to ascertain a sustainable energy supply and its security. We do not only have to grapple with our limited and very difficult ability to minimize pollution from fossil fuels, but also, we must contend with increased and harsh droughts that have made us extremely vulnerable to continue our dependence on water resources,” said Magosi.
He said urgent and robust investments are needed in power generation, transmission and diversification into renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy, in addition to deliberate efforts by all of us to adopt and ensure energy efficiency at all levels.
“Efforts are afoot to interconnect Angola, Malawi and Tanzania to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) network, this is to ensure that we exploit excess power in some countries to reduce the deficit in others,” said Magosi.