Zambia discussing with Tanzania, Kenya on construction of power line

"CURRENTLY THERE IS HUGE PRICE DISPARITY IN ELECTRICITY
BETWEEN SOUTHERN AFRICA AND EASTERN AFRCA - WHICH IS
AN INCENTIVE FOR ZAMBIA TO INCREASE POWER TRADE"

LUSAKA (Xinhua) -- The government of Zambia has started discussions with the governments of Kenya and Tanzania to construct a transmission line to boost regional electricity supply, the Zambia Daily Mail reported on Thursday.

The Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya interconnector project will result in the region enjoying increased power supply and trade, Daily Mail said.

Ernest Mupwaya, the head of the state power utility Zesco Limited, said electricity is expensive in East Africa compared to the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) region.

"There is a huge price disparity in electricity between Southern Africa and the Eastern which is an incentive for Zambia ... to increase power trade," he was quoted as saying by the paper.

"With the interconnection line in place, Zambia will be in a position to sell or export power and earn money", he added.

He, however, said Zambia and the East African nations have not yet agreed on the tariffs and that the matter is being addressed at inter-governmental level.

The interconnectivity power line will run from Kasama in northern Zambia to Nairobi in Kenya.

The power utility will next month start constructing a 330 kilovolt power line at a cost of 330 million U.S. dollars to boost power supply to three provinces of Northern, Eastern and Luapula provinces.

Courtesy of CoastWeek