More information has surfaced regarding the actual causes of ZESCO power cuts due to what PF has claimed low water levels at Kariba Dam because there was not enough rainfall last season.
As earlier reported by the Zambianwatchdog, there was enough rainfall along the Zambezi River basin stretching from Northwestern province, Copperbelt, all the way along the Zambezi River to Kariba Dam, which is a water reservoir.
The problem was the corrupt manner in which the Chinese Company, Sino-Hydro did the upgrades at Kariba North-Bank Power station.
Highly placed sources within the PF regime have insisted that the Kariba North Bank Chinese made Turbines which were upgraded have a lower power output compared to the older British made machines which were replaced according to the dam's specifications.
There is indeed some truth now that the dam is fast running out of water because the flow of water was increased in order to cover the shortfalls in output to run the new fake Chinese turbines.
"This has angered Zambezi River Authority partners on the Zimbabwean side to remind us that the volumes of water dispensed had increased over the last year due to our turbines running more outflow than originally designed prior to this upgrade," sources have revealed.
Highly placed insiders revealed classified information to the effect that Lake Kariba Dam was created and designed to operate between levels 475.50 meters and 488.50 meters with a 0.70 meters freeboard at all times.
But due to the increased water outflows being demanded by the Chinese electricity turbines, the water levels dropped by 14 centimeters during the week from 13th July to 19th July 2015 alone to close at 4.99 meters lower than the level recorded last year on the same week yet all the spillway gates at Kariba remained closed during the week under review.
The question Zambians must be asking is why the PF resorted to acquiring such substandard equipment from the Eurobond money against what was prescribed?
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