ZESCO has sued Lions Group Quarries Limited and is seeking an injunction to restrain it from expanding the plant, a move that would inevitably affect the power utility’s capacity to supply power.
Zesco has since asked the Lusaka high court to order that it has a legal right over the surface area where the quarry company intends to expand its operations and further engage in large scale mining activities.
The power utility company wants the court to order Lions Group Quarries Limited intended action to interfere with its proposed extension of Lusaka West Substation is unlawful, null and void.
Zesco further wants the court to order for an interim mandatory injunction compelling the defendant whether by themselves, their servants, agents or whosoever from expanding the operations.
It has stated that it is in the business of generation, transmission and distribution of power while the defendant company specialises in, among other things, the production of quarry dust for block
manufacturing and concrete production.
Zesco said that it has legal interest on the land where its substation, also known as the Lusaka West 330/132/33 KV substation sits and the same is of national importance and is interconnected to the national grid.
It said that it intends to extend the Lusaka West Substation for purposes of enhancing its investment portfolio in public interest.
Zesco further said that the quarrying company has a plant located in Lusaka West approximately 1.3 kilometers from its Lusaka West substation and has expressed intentions of expanding its operations
and further engage in large scale mining activities.
It said that the quarrying company ‘s area marked for expansion is in close proximity with its Substation and has jointly , with the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) objected to the expansion plans on grounds that may have devastating effects on the Substation structure which would inevitably affect ZESCO’s capacity to supply power to the entire country.
Zesco stated that the activities by Lions Group Quarries Limited would adversely affect its planned expansion of the Substation which plans are aimed at improving power supply in the country.