Zambia’s Kariba Dam Faces Shutdown, Leaving Nation in Power Crisis

Zambia’s power supply is facing a critical threat as water levels at the Kariba Dam continue to decline, leading to the possibility of the Kariba North Bank Power Station shutting down next month. Zesco Limited, Zambia’s power utility, has issued a stark warning about the imminent crisis, highlighting the rapid depletion of water reserves at the Kariba Dam. The utility expects a significant power supply gap starting from September 2024, driven by a growing drought-induced hydropower generation deficit. Zesco has applied for an emergency tariff adjustment to mitigate the impact of the potential power crisis, aiming to generate revenue for purchasing additional power imports and deploying inland diesel power generation plants.