As Zambian hydroelectric power runs dry, can solar energy plug the gap? • FRANCE 24 English

Southern Africa is facing its worst drought in a century, worsened by climate change. Over 68 million people face food and water shortages, while Zambia, reliant on hydroelectric power, can only provide three hours of electricity daily. The government has removed VAT on solar products to mitigate the crisis. Diana Zulu, who works with the SolarAid charity in Zambia, spoke to France 24 about the vast energy challenges facing the country.
#Zambia #energy #solar

[jamtknmarketingservices]

Our usless ZESCO failed to anticipate higher power output for years. Let them calculate the Megga Watts used by each town/province and from there make a mechanism from each region ie; Northern Zambia can be powered by windmills because it has alot of hills and mountains. Southern Zambia is very hot so solar energy would be great there. This is a very simple issue but i dont understand why it would drag on like this. Zesco employees only care about their hefty salaries and corruptiona deals. Just recently they even had the nerve to write to ERB for another increase in electricity tariffs. How disgusting. What needs to be done is to dissolve the entire board at ZESCO, Bring in a new player in the energy market just like they did with the cement market, when they brought Dangote after Chilanga cement had monopolized the industry for years.

[Maranatha-el]

Diana's point of view was strongly leaning on an advertisement of their solar products and not speaking on the overral current situation that Zambia is facing with this drought and powerouttage. The clips shown there were mainly rural areas that have not been impacted by Zesco and yet the greater impact is in the urban areas that depended solely on hydropowered energy for its businesses and large number of homes for their domestic use including security, henceforth this report feels incomplete and unsatisfied.

[cylonexy]

To be honest, the load-shedding situation started in 2007 in Zambia. However, our country is only now implementing measures to encourage the use of alternative power sources such as solar and gas…. I feel we had enough time and it is too little too late 😢

[Vee]

Why y’all showing Rural Areas??
You guys should be serious

[allegriparmigren]

Zambian governments have failed to predict this issue for so long! I recently interacted with one of the Managers/ Directors at one of Electricity utility company in Rwanda and told me how electricity shortage has become an issue of the past due to years of planning and implementation. How I wish our Country can follow the suit 😢

[EvangelistIsrael-zwdl]

Solar energy is the poorest solution to the country's energy Crisis. It's been nearly a week now in Lusaka and we don't have power, only three hours in 6 days😢.

[africanowwtv]

Those are stereotypical villages you are showing. Zambia is one of the most urbanized countries south of the equator in Africa.

Whoever gave you that footage lied and lies to you.

[Joshua-oubd]

I now see why the western countries think we barely have anything in Africa😅. Yes we are having load shedding but the places you showed are villages that don’t even have power lines. But thank you for sharing about what we are as Zambians are going through.

[cheeloc]

This is poor planning on part of the current government and previous ones. We've had droughts before but there has been no significant diversification.

[refiloenamakala]

They are exporting power but fail to provide supply for their own citizens

[elbless]

Zambia Electrical Supply Company has failed and literally failed to think that some day due to these climate changes drought could hit us so badly. Poor planning and poor management

[fredmukumbi]

The impact in Lusaka, capital city is huge not only loadshedding but the economy keeps on descending mostly business h've been shut down🥺. They is also lack of mealie meal, Zambian main stable food farmers are out of words .The nation is going through a rough tym 😑 Citizens are starving..

Pray for Zambia 🥺🙏

[nchingazimba]

This is ultimately a legacy issue. Past governments should have been ahead of predicting future population growth/energy needs

[ved_ituas]

They announced 3 hours a day but in reality its actually 3 hours every 3 days. I literally dont know anywhere where they have 3 hours of electricity everyday. Sometimes we get morethan 3 hours, but we definitely dont get power everyday.

[abuidnsampala]

I cannot blame Zesco. I blame the MMD Government! I remember as a young man when those guys used to withdraw huge sums of money from this utility company! The company almost went ground to its knees because the government was getting money for its campaigns for bye elections! As a a result we never invsted in the energy sector whilst our neighbouring countries were busy investing in wind and energy.

[isaacbamubabemwanza]

For past 6 days we haven't had power, it really messing with our monthly budget cause relish is going bad, some of us can afford those solar alternatives

[Zobbie-Zo]

We go up to two days without power here in Lusaka

[kellylako]

Not 3 hrs of power, more like 3 hours in 5 days. Even though tax have been removed on solar products on imports, companies are exploiting Zambians using high commodity prices, things are really really bad here.

[eldios]

Am surprised...drought its raining cats and dogs here....sorry Zambia and Zimbabwe

[harryzulu]

It's worse in Zambia 🇿🇲, we are now going for 5 days without power