Maravi

ERB urges media to scrutnise Zesco

ERB urges media to scrutnise Zesco
By Justin Katilungu in Kabwe
Thu 15 Apr. 2010, 04:20 CAT

THE media should take interest in the performance of Zesco in relation to its key performance indicator scores monitored by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB), acting executive director Mushimba Nyamazana has said.

Officiating at a one day-media workshop in Kabwe yesterday, Dr Nyamazana noted that it was only through such media scrutiny that the public would be fully informed about the performance of Zesco to enable Zambians make an informed judgement as to whether the migration towards cost reflective tariffs and its implied additional resources collected by the utility were being put to good use.

“These key performance indicators are intended at monitoring and accessing Zesco performance in areas of public interest specifically metering, cash management, staff productivity, quality of services supply and system losses,” Dr Nyamazana stressed.

He noted that energy sector was the blood of the economy and as such it was important that the media help the public by holding key institution in the sector accountable.

“The media has crucial role to ensuring that the performance of Zesco is disseminated to consumers nation wide as publicised by the ERB on a quarterly basis. There are also several developments in the energy sector which the media should high light to the public,” he said.

Dr Nyamazana said there was need to exploit the vast potential of the energy sector which was currently estimated at 6000 mega watts by allowing more operators to come on board in electricity provision in Zambia.

He was happy with the developments being undertaken to develop the sector in the wake of the 2008 power blackouts Zambia faced.

Dr Nyamazana pointed out the establishment of the Itezhi Tezhi power station special purpose vehicle meant to implement the project on a joint venture basis between Zesco and Tata of India and the completion of the power rehabilitation project at Kafue George Power Station that increased its generation capacity by 90 mega watts.

Other initiatives included the plans to generate power in Kabompo district by the Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC), which had so far reached an advanced stage while the commencement of Kariba North Bank extension project that would increase its capacity to 360 mega watts had been completed.

Labels: CEC, ERB, MUSHIMBA NYAMAZANA, ZESCO

posted by MrK @ 3:06 PM