By KASONDE KASONDE –
ENERGY Minister Dora Siliya has announced that the Karpowership which is expected to provide the country with up to 200 megawatts (MW) has arrived in Nacala, Mozambique.
Ms Siliya said the Karpowership from Turkey arrived yesterday in Mozambique and would provide 100 MW and later increase supply to 200 MW.
“The Karpowership has arrived in Nacala Mozambique, It will provide us with first 100 MW and later increase to 200 MW,” Ms Siliya said.
This is according to Ms Siliya’s posting on her Facebook page yesterday.
She said the power will replace the electricty from Agrekko which had been supplying the country with 148 MW from September to December 2015.
Ms Siliya said the ship with an inbuilt generator would connect to the grid in Mozambique which will then be linked to the Zambian line.
She added that the launch of the Karpowership is expected to be in the first week of March.
Meanwhile, a French investor has expressed interest in setting up a US$1.2 billion solar power plant and a solar panel manufacturing company.
The investor is also willing to pump in $21 million towards rural electrification in the country. Ms Siliya said the French investor had proposed to spend $1.2 billion to setup a solar plant and solar panel manufacturing plant over a period of five years and $21 million on rural electrification as Social Corporate Responsibility.
Ms Siliya said the project would create about 27,000 jobs for the local people, a development which would also promote economic development.
“I held a meeting with Sky Power a French investor that proposed to set up a $1.2 billion solar plant and solar panel manufacturing plant and $21 million on rural electrification in the country as a follow-up after the Paris meeting”, Ms Siliya wrote.
She said discussions had continued on the project with the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and Zesco.
Ms Siliya was among the ministers and Government officials that accompanied President Edgar Lungu to Paris two weeks ago.
The President invited French investors to explore investment opportunities in Zambia in sectors such as energy, agriculture, tourism and construction.