Load shedding thing of the past – Kapata

The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) has said load shedding in the country has drastically reduced owing to interventions the power utility company has enforced.

ZESCO Public Relations Manager Henry Kapata said ZESCO has done everything possible to assure that the problem of blackouts which some parts of the country used to experience in the past is a thing of the past.

The ZESCO Public Relations Manager has however bemoaned the increase in illegal connections which he said is the major reason behind power blackouts that have been experienced in some areas in the recent past.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that some people have still continued to defy the law and engage in illegal connections in residential areas especially compounds.
Mr Kapata stated that in rural districts, load shedding has almost come to zero adding that problems being experienced in the national Lusaka is mostly due to illegal connections of welding equipments, saloons and barber shops.

He urged members of the public throughout the country to heed to ZESCO guidelines by following the laid down procedures and avoid illegal connections because it is punishable by the law.

And Mr Kapata has also disclosed that the problem which was experienced at Kafue Sub Station yesterday around 18:00 hours yesterday and led to power blackout has now been electrified.

Mr Kapata told ZANIS that the black-out in Kafue was caused by one of the cables which started melting and that the problem spread out to Nampundwe mine.
He apologized to the people of Kafue and Nampundwe for any inconvenience cause by the power blackout.