Copper mines in Zambia start normalizing operations after hours of countrywide power blackout.

By John Chola - 17/06/09

Copper mines in Zambia are resuming normal operations after they suspended production for hours following a countrywide power blackout which also affected the neighbopuring Zimbabwe.

On Monday Zambia’s electricity firm ZESCO made frantic efforts for two hours in the night to restore power after a transformer at its 330 kilovolts power station went up in frames.

For the two hours ZESCO tried to rectify the problem Zambia remained under darkness.

During the two hours of blackout some mines suspended operations owing to inadequate and unreliable supply of electricity by ZESCO.

Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC), a company that distributes power to the mines, was compelled to import about 180 megawatts of power from DRC which was supplemented by power generated from its diesel generators.

ZESCO needs US $4 million to replace the damaged generator and other related equipment.

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