For the last two years, Zambia, like several other southern African countries, including South Africa, has been suffering a prolonged drought. It declared a state of emergency last February. The drought severely affected its hydroelectric power stations, which supply 85% of the country’s electricity, mostly from the Kariba Dam. In response, it intends to build a 600 MW coal-fired power station at the cost of $900 million, according to Sputnik.
With proven reserves of at least 80 million tons in their Southern Province alone, the government is wisely ignoring the climate change fanatics. Further, it is believed that large reserves of coal could exist in other parts of the country. Utilizing its domestic coal will save the countries billions of dollars in foreign exchange. Zambia has an installed capacity of 2.8 GW of electricity, primarily used by the copper mining and smelting industry. Only some 40% of the population has access to electricity.
Discussions are taking place with the Chinese company Wonderful Group, according to a statement from Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, who met with Wonderful Group Chief Operations Officer Frank Mulenga. “Every company knows the impact that climate change had this year because of the extensive drought,” Mulenga said in the video from the meeting, posted by the President on social media.
A 600 MW coal-fired power stations would require two to three years to construct, with the financing coming from private institutional sources. There is already a 300 MW coal-fired power station in operation by the Maamba Collieries, a private power generator owned by India and Zambian investors. The company is currently building a second 300 MW power station which will be completed in two years.
Other African nations, including coal-rich South Africa, may not fail to notice that India and China are interested in such projects, after being treated as raw materials exporters forever and a day by the West.
