Govt courts Turkish investors to tap hydropower potential

Govt courts Turkish investors to tap hydropower potential
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Mon 19 July 2010, 04:01 CAT

ENERGY minister Kenneth Konga has said the country is wooing Turkish investors to come and develop Zambia’s vast hydropower potential, especially in the Northern part. In an interview, Konga said he met some Turkish investors when he accompanied President Rupiah Banda on a trip to the eastern European country.

"We had a meeting with Turkish investors and they are very keen to invest in the hydropower sector,” Konga said. “So we are just waiting for relevant instruments to be formalised between Zambia and Turkey and then we will invite them to come over here.”

Konga said the government wanted to exploit the energy potential in the northern part of the country to spur increasing investments in mining and agriculture in the area.

He said the government would also explore hydropower projects on the Zambezi River such as Batoka Gorge and Devils Gorge as well as the potential on Luapula waters.

Luapula Province is said to have hydropower potential of 950 megawatts.

“The interest was overwhelming and they are ready to come immediately we formalise the agreement,” he said.

“They are very upbeat... especially the hydropower sector because they are aware of the fact that the region, not only Zambia, has got a deficit of energy and Zambia has got potential for clean energy, so, they do realise that there is a good market in the region for clean energy.”

Konga said the Turkish investors were looking at exploring the local energy sector to include provisions for exports.

“They are saying if we develop this potential, we see the market beyond Zambia,” said Konga.

“…We are focusing our attention on the northern part of Zambia; the existing development in the energy sector is more in the Southern part of the country and then we have to construct long transmission lines to load centres in the Copperbelt, North Western, Luapula but there is potential for hydropower. Luapula itself has potential for agriculture and mining which is waiting for the energy sector to be delivered so that this other potential can be harnessed.”