As Zambian hydroelectric power runs dry, can solar energy plug the gap? • FRANCE 24 English
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- Опубліковано 18 вер 2024
- Southern Africa is facing its worst drought in a century, worsened by climate change. Over 68 million people face food and water shortages, while Zambia, reliant on hydroelectric power, can only provide three hours of electricity daily. The government has removed VAT on solar products to mitigate the crisis. Diana Zulu, who works with the SolarAid charity in Zambia, spoke to France 24 about the vast energy challenges facing the country.
#Zambia #energy #solar
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❤ to Zambians from Eswatini
Thank you ❤
Thank you. Its a disaster.
❤ to you too
Thank you so much ❤
Thank you ❤
Our usless ZESCO failed to anticipate higher power output for years. Let them calculate the Megga Watts used by each town/province and from there make a mechanism from each region ie; Northern Zambia can be powered by windmills because it has alot of hills and mountains. Southern Zambia is very hot so solar energy would be great there. This is a very simple issue but i dont understand why it would drag on like this. Zesco employees only care about their hefty salaries and corruptiona deals. Just recently they even had the nerve to write to ERB for another increase in electricity tariffs. How disgusting. What needs to be done is to dissolve the entire board at ZESCO, Bring in a new player in the energy market just like they did with the cement market, when they brought Dangote after Chilanga cement had monopolized the industry for years.
We are unserious.
We can learn from other countries how to diversify our energy but we chose not to.
At the same time, they are STILL exporting electricity. A contract they must have signed last year
I wish it was as easy as you've put it my fellow country man. But finger pointing will absolutely not help us. We should use this catastrophe as an opportunity to innovative practically. ZESCO is well within their right to request an increase in tarrifs as the current tarrifs are unsustainable, they were giving as electricity at a huge discount. On a business perspective basically free. The rates from other countries I assure you are significantly higher than you imagine.
We can't blame zesco due to a lot of political interference
@@dalitsotembo9717 how many times have they increased tariffs in the past 3years. Can you be realistic. Businesses are shutting down due to this issue. If you've read our comments well you will understand that we've outlined potential solutions in energy diversification.we are not just finger pointing no. They too should be open to public opinion on how to mitigate the current hardships.
Diana's point of view was strongly leaning on an advertisement of their solar products and not speaking on the overral current situation that Zambia is facing with this drought and powerouttage. The clips shown there were mainly rural areas that have not been impacted by Zesco and yet the greater impact is in the urban areas that depended solely on hydropowered energy for its businesses and large number of homes for their domestic use including security, henceforth this report feels incomplete and unsatisfied.
Why y’all showing Rural Areas??
You guys should be serious
Hahaha true.
I also don't understand these reporters from Europe, they are always showing rural areas
This is poor planning on part of the current government and previous ones. We've had droughts before but there has been no significant diversification.
I absolutely agree with you
Our country has stupidity such that we love making excuses whenever blackouts happen.
You are not serious current government that had a drought in 2 years of government are you normal
Pliz pipo tend to understand how government operates before bitter words are used. These are long time solutions and we are in it,
You enjoy ku kondema
To be honest, the load-shedding situation started in 2007 in Zambia. However, our country is only now implementing measures to encourage the use of alternative power sources such as solar and gas…. I feel we had enough time and it is too little too late 😢
Showing wrong pictures
They are exporting power but fail to provide supply for their own citizens
A farmer eating 1-2 meals a day sells part of his crops not because he doesnt want to have more meals but becuase he's wise enough to know there's more to life than food. He still needs a house, food he doesn't farm, clothes, electricity, water etc. Remember that the current state is due to the drought Southern Africa is facing and there are more problems electricity alone wont solve. Besides they're only selling a small percentage and keeping it wont make any noticeable difference but will significantly reduce their GDP and financial capabilities.
Solar energy is the poorest solution to the country's energy Crisis. It's been nearly a week now in Lusaka and we don't have power, only three hours in 6 days😢.
Zambian governments have failed to predict this issue for so long! I recently interacted with one of the Managers/ Directors at one of Electricity utility company in Rwanda and told me how electricity shortage has become an issue of the past due to years of planning and implementation. How I wish our Country can follow the suit 😢
Those are stereotypical villages you are showing. Zambia is one of the most urbanized countries south of the equator in Africa.
Whoever gave you that footage lied and lies to you.
I now see why the western countries think we barely have anything in Africa😅. Yes we are having load shedding but the places you showed are villages that don’t even have power lines. But thank you for sharing about what we are as Zambians are going through.
Imagine😂
@@elinageorge9143ati we even have camp fires after having supper 😂
This is why the stereotype about Africa will never end because of these ignorant western media broadcasters. Because I even doubt if the places they showed are even in Zambia. Imagine they skipped LUSAKA and went to a very remote rural area😅
Imagine aii 😂
@@apnitom 😂
@@Joshua-ou6bd Limbi ni strategy Lol
Its funny that when there was load shedding during the previous government the current one was busy woto woto, instead, it also didn't solutions. now here we are. CNP.
Would I be wrong to assume CNP are acronyms for Chimbwi No Plan?
They could have done better
Days without power madam not 17 hrs
The impact in Lusaka, capital city is huge not only loadshedding but the economy keeps on descending mostly business h've been shut down🥺. They is also lack of mealie meal, Zambian main stable food farmers are out of words .The nation is going through a rough tym 😑 Citizens are starving..
Pray for Zambia 🥺🙏
Zambia Electrical Supply Company has failed and literally failed to think that some day due to these climate changes drought could hit us so badly. Poor planning and poor management
This is embarrassing 😢
This is ultimately a legacy issue. Past governments should have been ahead of predicting future population growth/energy needs
They knew but only cared for their hefty salaries.
This is not what we meant when we say "Zambia ku Chalo"
They announced 3 hours a day but in reality its actually 3 hours every 3 days. I literally dont know anywhere where they have 3 hours of electricity everyday. Sometimes we get morethan 3 hours, but we definitely dont get power everyday.
Not 3 hrs of power, more like 3 hours in 5 days. Even though tax have been removed on solar products on imports, companies are exploiting Zambians using high commodity prices, things are really really bad here.
What country is zimzambia? Ngeyo behavior 💁🏽♂️
We go up to two days without power here in Lusaka
It's worse in Zambia 🇿🇲, we are now going for 5 days without power
Am surprised...drought its raining cats and dogs here....sorry Zambia and Zimbabwe
For past 6 days we haven't had power, it really messing with our monthly budget cause relish is going bad, some of us can afford those solar alternatives
Why are they only showing rural areas when the detriment of this situation has impacted the capital city.
The depiction though 🤦🏽♀️ , they just had to show the village side of Zambia 😅 couldn’t expect anything better anyways .. 🫠
A country which has 43% of land occupied by water bodies in rivers and lakes alike shouldn't be talking about blackouts. Unless their leaders are such poor in thinking.
As a Zambian, its what confuses me the most... Next month is independence month... 60 years but yet still dependent on a single source of power.
The issue of electricity is truly affecting us country wide, but please the places they chose to show 😂 even when we need support let's not paint a bad picture for our selves, those houses don't even have power lines to show that even when there's enough power these don't use it, they always need solar
Ai mwandi😂That’s why the west still think we as Africans live in village houses and barely have access to essential commodities
They go to villages who need no power. Drought or non; villages life go on as usual. Normal. That's the West colonial heights
These western media don’t show good about Africa..all they show is poor,poverty
As a Zambian,just here to say the struggle is real🥺...our zesco has embarrassed us aii
It's actually 48 hours without power then 2:30hrs of power
Exactly
in some other parts it's more than 72hrs against only 2hrs of power
As a Zambian, it's so upsetting to be going through this.
Am Zambian, trust me, even if we are always at peice we are dieing
I hadn’t consider this effect from drought. Alternative options are necessary in many facets of life.
I am from Lusaka, Zambia things are more than terrible here and we failing to adapt to this unexpected upset
Its really hurts mwandi
The likelihood of Electricity being cut off during the interview even if she had at the time of the interview during is like 95%.
For the past few days believe it or not we only had power for only 3 literal minutes😢😢
How many Zambians can afford solar power? Even with taxes lifted on solar. It’s very expensive because only the middle class can afford inverters and solar. We’re having 96hr of loadshedding. How are SMES suppose to survive in a large informal market economy. People are really suffering and a reasonable solution needs to done . Solar panels on the kariba dam for longer preservation or something.
Politicians seem to be more clueless than we give them credit for...
We are now experiencing weeks of no power here in Zambia not even the 3 hrs they promised
60YRS with no solution. Yet the country has lots of water. The Government is depending on better rains.
What a Shame.... And this isn't the worst drought ... There managing the crisis on all poor level..
As Zambian 3 hrs per day with power it's not true it's just a cover up story we go up to days with no power no water people Walk at night to look for water . Zambian government have no say the quick in saying but not in doing .. were have too much sunshine wind rising but they depending on hydro .life is becoming hard and will continue..
the fact that she is a solar dealer but claims to be without power or water at the time of the interview should raise questions about this whole solar thing
We going through alot 48 hours of no electricity 😢
It's now 7 days without power in my area.
Pictures are wrong
We had a crucial drought in 1991 to 1992. Zesco was supposed to pit up alternative power generation earlier than now. A massive power plant in Mwamba collieries using coal and another to be generated by Uranium. These should have been the best options to hydro generated power. Very disappointing situation to be found in this situation after 60 years of inependence. We are laughing stock to the world. Sorry to say this.
Solar is expensive for welding works and industry works
I live in zambia and what i can tell you is those clips of zambia were taken from a village thats not how zambia look
This time around it's worse in some areas we are only seen power atleast twice in a week,
If the development of the country is twice as compared to the time when that hydro electrical plant was made then it can't be fit to supply the extended development it needs a backup which has been ignored for years.
Zambian here and why do they always show the rural areas ? Middle income folk don't like cameras in their faces ? Is that even Zambia ?
Haha it's stock of poor Africans they saved for last drought 😂
Been in the Solar Energy Sector for 5 years now, I can tell you that people in rural areas were prepared for this. They are not as affected as the people in urban and perri urban areas are. It is for this reason that sales in urban areas have shot up.
Aweh Tavutika please twasebana sure na France 24 we’ve featured
This is a great opportunity for Africa and Zambia,in particular. This is the necessary 'evil' that we needed to force the actualization of personal self relience.
We have 3hrs of electricity every week
Diana's stance is as of one advocating for solar...
I do business from the biggest market in Zambia, Lusaka City Market which has not less than 40000 people that operates in it using electricity unfortunately, it's now 3 weeks & we've had power only for 3hours in 3 days
How come the cabrabassa dam along the same river Zambezi still has alot of water for power generation?
3hrs of power? 😂that's what the government lied to you? It cuts for days not hours, sometimes a week no power.
What is the propaganda behind showing the most impoverished places when reporting mostly on African countries , Zambian is a very beautiful country with modern infrastructure, why don’t these reporters also show that aspect 🤷♀️
Can one try to be honest with me.Why does Africa export uranium instead of opening nuclear power stations ?
We play alot in Zambia here.😂😂
But why using areas where they don't even use electricity, Zambia is an urbanised country imwe ba sicopeti..and by the way the Zambia lady was just advertising her solar business....
the ZESCO company has failed completely to mitigate this situation
Why are you showing pictures of villagers as if Zambia look like that? Capture the urban area
Bufi at my place in Zambia we are getting 1hr of electricity a day 😭na phone tailesula 😭
this is what they meant when they said, hear what i say not what i do, why show the rural zambia without electricity in such a report🤔🤔🤔
Yes! The question is where to place the solar plant?
They do not exist. Politicians pocket the money for those projects. They didn't think we would run out of water
Power issues aside you couldn't shout visuals from any City you just had to go in the far corners
I cannot blame Zesco. I blame the MMD Government! I remember as a young man when those guys used to withdraw huge sums of money from this utility company! The company almost went ground to its knees because the government was getting money for its campaigns for bye elections! As a a result we never invsted in the energy sector whilst our neighbouring countries were busy investing in wind and energy.
lol most people have no power for 3 day straight. The situation on the ground is bad
Since when did our 20 million population reach 68 million?🇿🇲🤔
Very sad that other African countries cannot help others like they do in Europe for example. Not to a point where it affects the generation country negativity but when one is producing excess to allow the others to purchase. Ironically I believe there is excess power in "loadshedding" South Africa for example.
Help and solutions are there but there need financial bid for that to happen
@@NonHumanOrigin-1 I know this is what Im saying but the problem is organisation is non existant in Africa.
@@ry4nwo0t they are plenty of organizations here in Zambia but that’s not a problem the problem is the previous government left way too many unpaid credits from those same organizations that can help which is causing the current government to not have access to those benefits
@@NonHumanOrigin-1 yep poor leadership.
In Zimbabwe they is no electricity problem
It took the Kariba Dam to completely dry up for Zesco to realize that it needed to diversify in power distribution and saving? I don't get it, the signs were there. All this talk about solar energy is infuriating given the fact that this would have been dealt with before this crisis, we should have been able to easily switch to a different power source as a plan B strategy not last minute resort plans. But they became complacent, and now look at us.
Wish the country would go back to normal
I'm at a named university without electricity in throughout the night nothing looks normal you can't even study unless daytime
I feel bad about business imagine trying to make a living for your family
51 restaurants closed last week
There's a perception that Zambia is isolating itself from SADC. How can you be in darkness when the DRC is right next door with the biggest power station?
Which power stations in DRC?. Mines in Katanga have been importing power from Copperbelt Energy in Zambia.
1 we are not having a power for days, things are bad...even without duty on solar products, it's not helping. This government condemned the previous government and seemed like they had it figured out, but like always just the usual political lies...because they're worse ...they are saying it's climate change, something they condemned in opposition
Frontier Mine at the Ndola border is on Power Purchase Agreement with ZESCO. Its the other way round.
Drc really????
Your neighbor is using solar power and generators. Why can't you get some.(this statement is dripping with sarcasm 😮💨)
Not 3hours of power a day bt hours of power in 4days dear
Poor planning by the government
Tks to Development in so called 1 St world. Africa suffered.
Its 30 minutes 4 days
It's not every Zambian who depend on Zesco.some of us we are good coz we have solar energy.
Solar power should be the only solution....😢...
Wasn't she a BBC presenter this lady😂😂
3 hours is a lie
Guys it's bad 😢
Ei! Why are y'all showing villages/rural areas like Zambia is one big village? 😂💁🏾♂️
Thta makes us look like we got nothing greater than that. 🤦🏾♂️
But damn, we really are suffering with 23hrs of loads shedding.
Those dams don't look very deep.
This image is misleading. It is downstream of the main resevoir. The Small wall is coffer dam to create a dry area for plunge pool rehabilitation works. The grey brown wall you see the France 24 logo is the main dam wall. Lake kariba is one of the largest man made lakes on earth. Just Google it.
Why is this video portraying parts of the country that are not actually affected by loadshedding.
They really showed dry bare land with one tiny thatched housed😅
Why didn't you go to our industrial areas to see how costs of production are high there by increasing the cost of basic necessities for those people you're portraying as hungry.
Whats happening in Zambia is sad but this video is sadder.
The only way I repeat only thermal power can help we have coal than sand in Zambia
From surplus to deficit so quickly. Nuclear power federation. Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe invest in modular nuclear reactors together with Russia.
You just spock my mind
We are suffering 😢😢😢😢
Some of us re in the business of Fashion Designing and we are using industrial Machines
Upnd Have Failed 😢😢😢😢😢
The SolarAid plug(member) is saying, "as we speak am in the dark"🤔 are you being serious😅
Why does every international depiction of Zambia have to be a mud house!?
I'd hate to digress but it caught my attention a lot.
3 hours😢
Is this an advert for Sun King?
What are these solar things going to do?
Blessings to all so they can reclaim and rebuild their lives.💙
I heard That zambia participate in Green Energy 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Our subsequent governments especially past ones never took energy seriously this is why we are in this crisis the past PF government looted the coffers empty
It’s crazy how they just go capture the poorest parts of Zambia 💀😂
Poor reporting, only seeing dam and villages(those people dont rely on electricity).