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[[Zambians and Zimbabweans have been suffering long hours of power loss since water levels at the Kariba hydropower dam plunged to an all-time low in December. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Zambia, which plans to build a $2 billion solar power project to alleviate the situation.]]
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptZIMBABWE ZAMBIA POWER CUTS (TV/R)
HEADLINE: Low Kariba Dam Levels Cause Power Outages in Zambia, Zimbabwe
TEASER: Hydropower shortage has some residents looking at alternative sources of energy
PUBLISHED AT: 02/23/2023
BYLINE: Columbus Mavhunga
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Lusaka, Zambia
VIDEOGRAPHER: Blessing Chigwenhembe
VIDEO EDITOR:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Bowman, Reifenrath
VIDEO SOURCES: VOA Original,
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 3:17
VID APPROVED BY:
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: (())
((INTRO))
[[Zambians and Zimbabweans have been suffering long hours of power loss since water levels at the Kariba hydropower dam plunged to an all-time low in December. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Zambia, which plans to build a $2 billion solar power project to alleviate the situation.]]
((VIDEO - Close up of home solar panel, wide shot of solar inverter, close of solar inverter, tight shot of barber, wide shot of barber))
((NARRATOR))
Since 12-hour power cuts were announced in December, some people in Zambia have installed solar panels. But not everyone. Robert Kamandisa, who runs a barbershop in Lusaka, says his business has no capital for that. So he bought hair clippers with rechargeable batteries.
[[00:35]] can you cut this SOT for clarity]] ((Robert Kamandisa, Zambian Barber (ENG))) ((11 secs))
“When you have power cuts maintained, You charge those cordless machines at the time you have power, and then when you don’t have power, you have that as a solution.”
((VIDEO-VOA: wide shot lake kariba, close up shot lake kariba, tight on power lines, close up of power lines))
((NARRATOR))
Zambia and Zimbabwe depend on Lake Kariba — built by their former colonial ruler, Britain — for most of their hydroelectric needs. When the water level dropped to a record low in December, power cuts were introduced in both countries.
Zambia has since ended the power cuts, but not Zimbabwe.
Tendayi Marowa, an independent renewable energy consultant, blames rising energy demands stemming from population growth and industrialization, aging power-generating equipment and recurring droughts. He has a solution.
((Tendayi Marowa, Independent Renewable Energy Consultant)) (Eng))) ((19 secs))
((Mandatory Courtesy: WhatsApp))
“The use of solar energy, be it solar PV for electricity generation or solar thermal for water heating, can actually reduce the demand for electricity considerably. So the residential area must be encouraged to install solar panels on their roofs.”
((VIDEO-VOA: wide shot of dam wall rehabilitation, close of dam wall rehabilitation, close on trucks on dam wall))
[1:42—needs to be revoice to include "per year" ]((NARRATOR))
He says Zambia and Zimbabwe must build more hydropower stations upstream of Kariba Dam, along the Zambezi River separating the two countries. Engineer Munyaradzi Munodawafa, chief executive of the Zambezi River Authority — which manages Kariba Dam — says that would generate about 14,000 megawatts of electricity per year on the river.
((Munyaradzi Munodawafa, Zambezi River Authority CEO (Eng. 23 secs))
“So, of that 14,000 [megawatts], we have only managed to come up with 2,130 megawatts – that is at Kariba. So we are left with another 12,000 [megawatts], which we can put across so that whether there is climate change or no climate change, the two countries won’t be affected in terms of the load.”
((VIDEO-VOA: Wide shot of solar roofs, close up of solar roofs, tight shot on solar roofs))
((NARRATOR))
Peter Chibwe Kapala, minister of energy, says Zambia’s planned $2 billion investment in the country’s energy sector will result in surplus power being exported to neighboring countries.
((Peter Chibwe Kapala, Zambia Minister of Energy (Eng))) ( 24 secs))
"Solar will play a bigger role so that in times of drought, we could use less water to generate [electricity]. /// During the daytime, I want to generate more from solar and export more on hydro because it doesn’t fluctuate that much.”
((VIDEO-VOA: Wide shot of barbershop, close-up of barbershop, wide shot of the finished haircut))
((NARRATOR))
That would go a long way in helping Zambian businesses like Kamandisa's, which cannot invest in solar energy.
((Columbus Mavhunga, for VOA News, Lusaka, Zambia))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Lusaka, Zambia
Embargo DateFebruary 23, 2023 23:40 EST
Byline((Columbus Mavhunga, for VOA News, Lusaka, Zambia))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
