ZESA to use new tech to curb vandalism

Assistant Business Editor
The country’s power utility Zesa is planning to use new technologies to curb vandalism which has seen it losing cables worth $14,1 million between 2011 and 2015.

In a statement issued at the Chamber of Mines Annual General Meeting and conference last week, Zesa said that it plans to install transformers with oil that is only useful in transformers only.

“We are looking at new technologies that have come through which involves new properties in transformer oils, which if used for any other purposes other than transformers will damage engines,” read the statement.

In addition the power utility said it’s also looking at replacing all copper cables to mitigate against losses through theft.

“In mitigation we are replacing all copper cables, conductors with aluminium cables which have better transmission of electricity, but with limited other uses. The replacement of cables is ongoing exercise in an attempt to curb this vice,” it said.

Thieves have been targeting Zesa copper cables and transformer oil, which they are reselling to scrape metal dealers, while the oil is being resold on the market.

The theft of the transformer oil has in most instance led to the blowing up of transformers due to overheating, which has left many parts of the country in the dark as Zesa battled to replace the transformers.