JSE-listed Consolidated Power Projects (Conco) has, on behalf of the Zambian government, officially handed over the R35-million upgraded Luangwa 66/11 kV substation in Kitwe, Zambia, to State-owned power company Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (Zesco) and the community of Kitwe.

The Luangwa project was the first project undertaken between Conco and Zesco and had been hailed as a benchmark for other infrastructure projects in the country.

Conco said in March that the transformer at the Luangwa substation was in need of an upgrade as the transformer capacity of the substation had been exhausted.

The group’s scope of work was to upgrade the substation with the installation of two 315 MVA transformers compared with one 15 MVA transformer to improve security of supply and establish “firm” capacity.

In addition, the contract also entailed the replacement of the existing 11 kV switchboard with a thirteen-panel 25 kA board, including all protection and control panels and the installation of a new D20 remote terminal unit (RTU). The RTU would enable Zesco to monitor the substation from its central control centre.

Speaking at the handover function, Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Laban Musenge said the completion of the upgrade signalled the success of a strategic plan by government that would result in employment creation and sustainable economic development through an increase in access to electricity.

“Such investments confirm the commitment government has made in upgrading and constructing new energy infrastructure throughout Zambia. We aim to ensure that a larger part of the population has access to electricity,” he commented.

Also speaking at the handover, Conco CEO David van Zyl called on Zesco and the Zambian government to take advantage of the available project relationships between Conco and reputable financial institutions, which could be used to undertake work on projects that were critical and of high economic value to the nation.

“We are prepared and ready to facilitate such a process in view of bringing projects to fruition,” he said.