By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA –

ELECRAMA 2016, the 12th edition of the world’s largest show in the power sector is all set to showcase the new dynamics in the energy industry.
With more than 120 countries participating, more than 10,000 Products and Solutions covering the entire spectrum of electricity on showcase and excess of 100,000 footfalls, ELECRAMA has truly earned its position as the World Electricity Forum.
The event is slated for February 13 to 17 2016 in India, it also serves as the best testimony to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call for ‘Make in India to Make to the World’ in the power sector.
“When India adds 700 GW in the next 15 years, the transmission and distribution technological developments and its fuel adoption will have significant global impact. Diverse and innovative solutions are present in India and we have the technology that can perform across diverse environments,” immediate past president-IEEMA Vishnu Agarwal said.
This is contained in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday.
According to a statement, electricity expansion is currently on the rise especially in Zambia’s Copperbelt due to the increase in output of the mining sector.
The Government’s commitment to energy infrastructure development has, however, been increasing through higher spending on hydro power projects.
With the liberalisation of the sector and unbundling of services currently on the Government agenda, the sector is expected to pick up throughout 2015-2017.
ELECRAMA-2016 chairperson Aaditya R Dhoot believes that there was an urgent need for additional generation in order to reduce the increasing demand supply gap.
“In parallel, there is the need to accelerate the decision-making process to approve new projects, encourage more actors in the sector and to improve capacities to package and design bankable projects.
“Zambia expects to have a surplus of 600 MW by 2016, mostly coming from additional hydropower generation. Cross-border interconnections will also allow for exchange of power with its neighbours.
“Thus ELECRAMA is a one-stop-shop for your worldview on technology, best practices, new systems and forecasting the trends in the future of electricity. It has something to offer every stakeholder as a takeaway,” he said.
Zambia has a small but quickly growing energy sector. Its power infrastructure falls in the middle of its regional peers. The country provides electricity to 25 per cent of its populace compared with 6per cent in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and 39 per cent in Botswana.
Zambia’s relative political stability, economic growth boosted by its mining activities and growing middle class mean that demand for energy will continue to grow, particularly in major urban areas around Zambia.