The connection means the new 162kv line will enable the corporation transport huge voltage into the capital city.  Speaking at the site where the change took place ESCOM Senior Control Engineer Augustine Nyirenda says the high voltage lines increase capacity to provide more power into Central region to any investor at any given time, as well as allow for new players that may wish to come into the power sector. He further said this is just one of the many projects the corporation has been undertaking with support from Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). At the moment the new 162kv line is carrying power to two substations at Bunda Turn-off and Kanengo.

“ We have just switched on 132000kv site and the second phase is where we will connect 400,000 volt line which has been constructed from Bombeya to Nkhoma Substation and when we will have it connected definitely we will have an increased capacity,” stated Nyirenda.

According to Communications Director for Millenium Challenge Account, Zilanie Khonje said allowing ESCOM to partially use the substation, means MCA has partially handed over the facility but full handover will be done in September this year when the compact is expected to come to an end.

Zilani Khonje,Director of Communications, MCA

Let me say that in terms of infrastructure development, come mid September most projects will have been completed. That specifically means contractors will have finished all the sub stations and also the transmission lines that means there will be no carry overs for ESCOM / Government but there will be minor works such as landscaping that will continue though the compact would have come to an end on 20th September,” said Khonje.

The coming in of the new 162kv lines at Nkhoma Sub-station will minimise power losses when transporting electricity in small lines which could be valued in millions of Kwacha. The arrangement means improvement in power supply in the Central region and surrounding areas.