By HELEN ZULU
 –

ZESCO has saved more than 85 megawatts of power in terms of demand
following the distribution of 1.5 million energy saving lamps countrywide.
Company senior manager demand-side management Readlay Makaliki said
since the company embarked on the distribution of the energy-saving
lamps in November 2011, it had distributed about 1.5 million
of them.
He was speaking at the handover of energy-efficient and energy-saving
equipment which includes compact fluorescent lamps, solar water
geysers and a gas cooking stove to City of Hope Orphanage and the
launch of the Energy Week in Lusaka on Tuesday.
The Energy Week, which runs from July 13 to 19, is being commemorated
under the theme, ‘‘ Zambia at 50: Diversifying Energy Sources.’’
Mr Makaliki stated that as a gift to commemorate the Energy Week,
ZESCO decided to install 76 energy-saver lamps at City of  Hope
Orphanage and donated 100 extra for replacement.
Mr Makaliki said the company had been able to save more than 85 mega watts of
power in terms of demand.
He said about US$4 million had been spent on the procurement of
the energy-saving bulbs distributed so far.
‘‘The company’s aim is to promote the culture of energy efficiency to
the benefit of all customers as the power that is saved will be
redistributed to other areas on the national grid whilst customers
will save some money by reducing their bills on lighting.’’
Zesco has been promoting and distributing the energy savers around the
country free of charge.

‘‘Customers have been coming on board to exchange six incandescent bulbs
with six energy savers and so far, we have been able to save 85 mega
watts from the 1.5 million energy-saving lamps distributed countrywide,’’ Mr Makaliki said.
Mr Makaliki encouraged Zambians to embrace energy efficiency in the
face of increasing energy demand due to the growing economy as well as
dwindling world energy sources.

Mines, Energy and Water Development Minister, Christopher Yaluma implored
management at the orphanage to take full ownership and responsibility
of the equipment for the benefit of the institution.
In a speech read for him by his deputy Charles Zulu, Mr Yaluma
expressed optimism that the gesture would mitigate energy
challenges being faced by the institution and go a long way in
lightening the great work the institution was doing in taking care of
the less-privileged in society.
‘‘This donation also reaffirms  Government’s commitment to increase
access to clean modern energy services, promote energy efficiency and
conservation and diversify Zambia’s energy mix to foster economic
growth and mitigate the energy challenges being faced by the majority of Zambians, especially underprivileged institutions such as City of
Hope ,’’ he said.
And Davis & Shirtliff Zambia Limited managing director Jonathan Mainga
encouraged the nation to embrace the concept of having multiple energy
sources in homes and institutions.
Mr Mainga said selecting City of Hope as the recipient of a solar
geyser was an easy choice for his company as it was not difficult to
justify the benefits of the reliable hot water system for such an
institution.
‘‘ Our opinion is that we need as the nation to embrace the concept of
having multiple energy sources in our homes and institutions,’’ he said.