By HELEN ZULU –
MUHANYA Solar Limited has invested US$300, 000 in the development of a mini-electricity grid in Sinda district, in Eastern Province aimed at scaling up the use of solar-powered energy.
Business development manager Stephen Chileshe said the company had invested about US$300,000 in the development of a mini-grid in Sinda district and works had already commenced.
Mr Chileshe said the development of the pilot project had reached an advanced stage and was expected to be completed next month.
He was speaking in an interview in Lusaka at the weekend.
“We have invested about US$300, 000 in the development of the mini grid in Sinda district in Eastern Province. Works have commenced, and the pilot project is around 70 to 75 per cent complete, and we expect to complete next month,” Mr Chileshe said.
He said the pilot project once commissioned would service about 200 households in the district.
Mr Chileshe said the company had been facing some challenges in terms of the weather and factories have closed where the company was accessing the raw materials.
“The project is going on well except there are hiccups here and there in terms of factories going on industrial break where we get our raw materials and are only expected to open in February or so and the weather  is also contributing to the delay.
“By the end of this week we might have moved to about 90 to 95 per cent because our engineers are still on site doing the work,” he said