LOAD-SHEDDING can be described as the deliberate shutdown of electric power in part or parts of a power-distribution system, generally to prevent the failure of the entire system when the demand strains the capacity of that system.
The power outages being experienced by most consumers of power throughout the country has now become a vexing issue.
Many people have come up with various views on this problem with some condemning ZESCO, the power utility firm, as the main cause of the power deficit being experienced.
They allege that Zesco has been exporting the little power available thereby worsening the situation.
Others believe the power problem in the country is an Act of God as a result of drought experienced last rainy season.
On its part ZESCO says it has been compelled by low water levels to reduce power generation at major power stations and this has resulted in a maximum national deficit of 560 Megawatts (MW).
Therefore the reduction in generation has been prompted by the low water situation in its reservoirs arising from  the 2014/2015 rainy season deficit.
But some stakeholders have disagreed with ZESCO on the advanced excuse, accusing the utility firm of exporting power at the expense of poor Zambians.
According to ZESCO, load shedding will be carried out on a rotational basis throughout the day, every day, in different areas.
To mitigate this deficit, ZESCO says it is making efforts to try and secure some imports from within the region.
However, due to limited availability of power in the whole region, there may be times when it will not be able to secure imports to cushion the impact of local load shedding.
In the meantime, ZESCO is constructing more hydro-power stations which include some sub-stations in the country to increase generation capacity.
The power company hopes that the newly built sub-stations would ultimately reduce load-shedding in the country.
Some experts say that Zesco approached Government in the early 1990s after studying energy demand projections.
It was anticipated that there would be shortages by 2004 and that projects like Kafue Lower (750MW) and Itezhi-tezhi(120MW) ought to have been started.
It was anticipated that these were projected to be commissioned before 2004 but the Government at that time did not take heed.
According to a recent statement from the ZESCO Marketing and Public Relations Office, due to limited availability of power in the whole region, there may be times when the organisation would not be able to secure imports to cushion the impact of load-shedding.
Recently, Deputy Minister of Energy Charles Zulu said told the international media that Zambia has cut its power generation by 300MW after water levels in the Kariba Dam, a key source of hydro power, dropped following a prolonged drought.
Mr Zulu said Zambia planned to reduce its hydro-power generation by up to 600 MW if water levels continued dropping.
“Our generation capacity is 2,200 megawatts but now we have reduced to 1,900 megawatts,” Mr Zulu said.
“There will be massive load-shedding or power rationing and all of us, including the mines, will be affected,” he said.
At a recent discussion on the current load-shedding being experienced in the country, Andrew Kamanga of Energy Finance (Enfin) Solutions said the electricity market in Zambia has been growing rapidly over the years.
From 2004 to date, the ZESCO customer base has grown by 700 per cent.
“Even if we had a drought, the circumstances are different; the demand for power is high. It’s actually a race against time because the market is growing and the load is equally growing rapidly so we need to regenerate for the people who need it.
“It is important to create more opportunities for more players, especially the private sector to participate in the power sector,” he said.
He says 97 per cent of power generation in Zambia was on hydro and some scattered diesel generations which were insufficient.
Mr Kamanga says that Zambia should diversify away from over-reliance on hydro-electricity even for domestic use but rather use other alternatives like solar, generators and gas, among others.
ZESCO senior customer services manager, Patrick Mwila said the utility firm needs more players and called for the regulation of the framework which would guide the private sector.
“We need more players in the power industry so let us position ourselves in terms of the regulatory framework,” he said.
ZESCO had taken steps to strengthen the Regulatory Act of 1995 which allows  the private sector to assist in providing power.
According to latest information from ZESCO on the current energy situation, by May 2015 Zesco had a shortfall of 2,100 Gigawatt Hour (GWh).
The budgeted energy for the country was 12,900GWh and the available energy was 10,800 signifying a shortfall of 2,100GWh.
The net available energy for the remaining period of the year and maintaining the current state of generation, water would be exhausted in 3.5 months from now.
The impact of the energy deficit has been increased power rationing, negative economic, environmental and social impact and risk to water intake structures.
To cushion the impact, the power company has since accelerated the transmission lines and has fast tracked the development of small hydro-power stations.
ZESCO has also fast-tracked the development of grid connector solar generation and phased out incandescent lighting.
Other measures are the encouragement of diversification of heat energy source, implementation of cost-reflective tariff and implement power factor compensation.
Over the weekend, President Edgar Lungu visited the Kafue Gorge and the Kariba Dam to have a firsthand sense of the load-shedding problem that has engulfed the country.
President Lungu challenged ZESCO to carry out its power rationing equitably among Zambians.
The President who toured the Kariba Dam said that Zambians have complained that the elite in suburban areas have less time of load shedding than those in peri-urban areas.
Energy Minister Christopher Yaluma said that the elite in the suburbs should also feel the pinch of power rationing like every other Zambian.
ZESCO has since started importing about 100MW from Mozambique.