Maravi

Zukas challenges ERB on blackouts...3

Zukas challenges ERB on blackouts...3
By Joan Chirwa
Friday May 02, 2008 [04:00]

VETERAN politician Simon Zukas has asked the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) to adequately explain its findings on the mid-January nationwide power blackouts. But sources have disclosed that ERB could not give more details on the cause of the January power blackouts because of the sensitivity surrounding the issue, considering that another country was involved.

Zambia, between January 19 and 22 this year experienced power blackouts that were, according to the findings, triggered by the loss of a major load at Kariba North Bank power station.

According to the ERB’s findings, the countrywide power outages were initiated by a disturbance in the Zimbabwean grid which resulted in the loss of a major load and shutdown of the Kariba North Bank power station.

The ERB stated that the loss of a major load at Kariba North Bank led to the tripping of the machines at Kafue Gorge and Victoria Falls power stations, resulting in the blackout.

But Zukas said the public needed more explanation on the loss of a major load at Kariba North Bank, which led to the shutdown of the power plant.

“The technically literate public will find this report most unsatisfactory with regards to its findings. Finding number one ascribes the blackout of January 19, 2008 to a loss of a major load and shutdown of the Kariba North Bank power station. While accepting that the Kariba North Bank power station was shut down, the public would need to know more than that this was caused by a loss of a major load,” Zukas said.

“Power station control gear would normally protect against overloads; to shut down on loss of a load, even if major, needs more explanation than this report has given us. Since the loss of the load in the integrated grid was in Zimbabwe, there should have been more power left for Zambia and not a reduction to zero for Zambia.”

Zukas said there was no mention in the finding that there were many generators out of action due to a mistaken programme of simultaneous refurbishment.

“Finding two ascribes the blackout of January 21, 2008 to a ‘spurious tripping’ on a transmission line. Spurious means fake or non-genuine. Only genuine tripping can result in a blackout. If there was an accidental, unnecessary tripping, did Zesco explain and was the committee satisfied how it happened and how to avoid such an event in future?” he asked.

Zukas, who is also a commercial farmer, said wheat production was highly dependent on irrigation and the frequent power outages would have terrible negative effects on agriculture.

Labels: ERB, ZUKAS

posted by MrK @ 5:49 AM