By HELLEN TEMBO –
ZESCO has called for collaborative efforts among African utility companies to help reduce the cost of electricity for the citizens.
Zesco managing director Victor Mundende said that there was also need for the media to work with utility companies in highlighting the importance of the Association of Power Utilities of Africa (APUA) 19th congress that Zambia will host in July this year.
Mr Mundende said that the congress would help utility companies find ways of working together to reduce the cost of electricity for citizens.
Mr Mundende said this in Lusaka yesterday at the media briefing for the hosting of the 19th congress of APUA which will take place on July 12 to 14 this year in Livingstone.
“I would like to urge the media to be our partners in this journey and help us build the hype around this event so that we score success not only for Zesco as the host utility but for Zambia as a whole,” he said.
The APUA conference brings together chief executives and many distinguished stakeholders of power utilities in charge of generation, transmission and distribution of power in Africa to deliberate and chart the way forward on contentious issues in the energy sector.
Mr Mundende said APUA’s mission was to promote the development of an integrated African electricity sector, with the aim of facilitating the long term establishment of an African electricity market that
could give access to affordable and reliable electricity.
He said the association had 54 active members in Africa and 16 member companies and organisations worldwide.
APUA director general Abel Tella said the power body’s aim was to put efforts together for the integration of African power sector to exchange the experiences to make power available, sustainable and affordable for the people of Africa.
Mr Tella said APUA’s main project was to create the African Network of Centres of Excellence in Electricity (ANCEE) for a capacity building programme.
One of the qualified centres of excellence was Kafue Gorge Regional Training Centre in Zambia.