Zambia: Power cuts increase nationwide to 12-hours daily through at least January /update 1

Power cuts increase to 12-hours daily in Zambia through at least January following water shortages and planned maintenance of power plant.

Event

Zambia's energy provider, ZESCO, has announced that nationwide power cuts will increase to 12 hours daily until further notice. This follows the shutdown of the Maamba power plant for planned maintenance until Jan. 20, in addition to the reduction in electricity generation at its main hydro plant in Kariba because of a water shortage. Water levels at the Kariba Dam remained below one percent of usable storage on Dec. 28, below the levels required to maintain ordinary operations. Zambia has now lost a combined 750MW of power.

Temporary commercial and communications disruptions are possible while load management and unscheduled disruptions occur; cellular and mobile services could be affected. Traffic disruptions and longer driving times are possible during these periods due to malfunctioning traffic signals. Power outages could also result in the temporary unavailability of essential services such as ATMs and filling stations. There is an increased security threat during power outages. Blackouts could adversely affect security protocols, including alarm systems and electronic fences; opportunistic criminal activity could increase during electricity outages.

Advice

Develop or review business continuity plan (BCP) sections regarding utility outages. Identify business-critical functions that require a power supply. Invest in generators and, if applicable, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units. Power laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and other business or travel-critical appliances regularly. Consult official sources covering planned or unplanned power outages and monitor announcements from the utility.