By KENNEDY MUPESENI –
ZAMBIA Sugar Plc is pondering expanding thermal power generation capacity from the current 30 to 50 Megawatts, managing director Rebecca Katowa has said.
This is in response to the current power reduction on the national electricity grid caused by low water levels in major hydro stations in Zambia.
Ms Katowa said the power cuts have affected production at farm and factory levels hence for the company to look at many options to sustain production.
Ms Katowa was speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the customer open day tour of Nakambala farms and factory in Mazabuka of Southern Province last week.
She said the current load shedding had affected production and that, it was inevitable the company increased its power generation to maintain the current production.
The sugar company currently produces 30 MWs of electricity from sugar factory residues.
She also disclosed that the company was carrying out a feasibility study on the possibility of starting the production of beer products apart from the new refinery under construction at Nakambala which would require more electricity.
The company has a market capitalisation of US$254.5 million as at April 2015 ,with revenues recorded K1.9 billion in the same period while enjoying 84 per cent of the country’s market share.
