Energy
COVID-19 DELAYS SHIPMENT OF KAPICHIRA POWER STATION SPARE PARTS
March 30, 2020 / Bester Kayaye
EGENCO says it is uncertain on when one of its four machines at Kapichira Power Station will get back online as its spare parts are failing to find a flight through which they can be shipped from Germany due to the Corona Virus outbreak, which has culminated into the suspension of many international flights.
This was revealed on Friday March 27 during a familiarisation tour of the power Station by the newly appointed Minister of Energy Atupele Muluzi.
Egenco CEO William Liabunya said the power generation company is currently maintaining two machines at Kapichira site that contribute 64.8MW to the national grid but spare parts for one of the machines are failing to arrive in the country from Germany where they were manufactured due to cancellation of flights amidst COVID-19 pandemic.
Liabunya said: “The company ordered some spare parts to be manufactured in Germany, and we are told that they are ready, but due to the pandemic it has been difficult to transport the parts into the country, and we were also anticipating commissioning engineers for these parts to come from Germany whose travel depends on the COVID-19 situation,” he said.
“The pandemic has also affected the country’s power construction projects including Likoma and Chidzumulu Island Solar hybrid projects which have been halted as the contractor is from China and is failing to ship in some required equipments.”
However, Liabunya said EGENCO is, currently, installing repaired parts of one machine that underwent specialized repairs in South Africa and arrived in the country on Wednesday March 25.
“At least we are on course of installing repaired parts for one of the machines that have arrived in the country before movement restrictions were effected in South Africa and we are expecting to complete this task within the next 10 days, where upon its completion 32.4MW will be added to the national grid,” he said.
Meanwhile Egenco is set to review its quarterly strategic plan, in which among others, it is to table various power projects including Salima Solar and Kamwamba Coal fired.
Muluzi commended EGENCO’S efforts made to install and repair malfunctioning machines which he said will help to mitigate load shedding.
“It was extremely important as a Minister of Energy to ascertain what is really causing continued blackouts in the country but good news is that parts are in, being fitted and an additional 32.4MW will be added to national grid in the course of a week or so,” he said.
Muluzi reiterated that his Ministry is also working with ESCOM and other key stakeholders to find long lasting solutions to load shedding as well as ensure more reliable power.
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The establishment of a stable and self-sustaining ecosystem, but not necessarily the one that existed before mining began. In many cases, complete restoration may be impossible, but successful remediation, reclamation, and rehabilitation can result in the timely establishment of a functional ecosystem.
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Remediation:
The cleanup of the contaminated area to safe levels by removing or isolating contaminants. At mine sites, remediation often consists of isolating contaminated material in pre-existing tailings storage facilities, capping tailings and waste rock stockpiles with clean topsoil, and collecting and treating any contaminated mine water if necessary.
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