By KENNEDY MUPESENI –

A CHINESE energy expert has called for the installation of more power substations to reduce on losses incurred in power evacuation for the distance.
Auther Liu said in an interview in Kasama that about 50 per cent of electricity was lost due to the distance between substations hence the need to construct more.
“It is good that Zesco Limited has embarked on installation of substations across the country which will in the long run reduce on losses because evacuating 400 kilovolts on a long distance creates power losses,” Mr Auther said.
He said in China the longest distance between substations was in the range of 80 to a 100 kilometres, which was cost effective.
Mr Auther who is TBEA Company Limited commercial manager, the company contracted by Zesco to work on the Pensulo-Kasama and Pensulo-Msoro-Chipata substations said Zambia had abundant potential to generate power.
The country had more than 6,000 megawatt potential with ZESCO only managing to produce around 2,316 megwatts.
Mr Auther said hydro-electricity was one of the most environmentally efficient power source compared to other energy sources such as the coal powered electricity.
He proposed that to make electricity available and fully exploit the power potential in the country, there was need to encourage the development of mini-hydro power stations.
He said Zambia had one of the cheapest electricity tariffs in the region. “One thing I find to be cheaper in Zambia is electricity, I have been to East Africa, electricity there is more expensive, even cheaper than in China,” he said.
He called for a change of perception about Chinese investment in Zambia so as to benefit more from technology transfer between the two countries.
His company was trying to localise investment in Zambia by engaging locals in the operations of the company.