By MARTIN MUSUNKA –
ZESCO has reduced electricity supply to all mining operations in North-Western Province with immediate effect.
The decision by the power utility company has affected production at Kansanshi, the flagship mine for First Quantum Minerals and the smelter, which is under commissioning.
FQM president, Clive Newall has said electricity supply to Kansanshi Mine, including the smelter, has been reduced to 117 megawatts from the steady-state level of 153 megawatts.
He said electricity supply at the company’s Sentinel project in Kalumbila has also been reduced to 42 megawatts from 55 megawatts, explaining that the supply reduction extends to all mining operations in the North Western province of Zambia.
“First Quantum Minerals received notice of the declaration of Force Majeure for the supply of electricity to its Kansanshi operation from ZESCO, Zambia’s state-run power company.
“Subsequently, on July 25, 2015, electricity supply to Kansanshi, including the smelter, was reduced to 117 megawatts from the steady-state level of 153 megawatts. Electricity supply at the company’s Sentinel project was also reduced to 42 megawatts from 55 megawatts,” Mr Newall said in a statement.
Mr Newall explained that, in the notice of the declaration of Force Majeure, ZESCO stated that it has contracted independent power producers such as Maamba Collieries Limited and Itezhi Tezhi Power Corporation through the signing of Power Purchase Agreements to procure more electricity by the end of 2015.
He said facilities at the Kansanshi Mine, smelter and the Sentinel project were currently operating at reduced capacities, while various options to alleviate the effect on production were being evaluated.
“As such, the company is unable to provide estimates on the length of the supply reduction or its impact on production,” Mr Newall says.- Story courtesy of SUMA SYSTEMS.