Zambia government’s power grab signals further trouble ahead

Energy minister Matthew Nkhuwa on 1 June declared transmission and distribution assets owned by the publicly listed Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) as common carrier. This is intended to allow Zesco to use CEC lines to supply power to the government-controlled Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), with which it has signed a term sheet for power supply. The regulator imposed a hastily approved wheeling fee, which CEC says is equivalent to only 30% of its current network tariff.