Zambian Copper Mines Desperate for Power Find an Unlikely Savior
- Nation faces unprecedented energy crisis because of drought
- South Africa until recently battled its own power shortage
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Zambia’s biggest mines are turning to a surprising power source as the copper-producing nation battles an unprecedented energy crisis: South African electricity company Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., which until March faced its own severe deficit.
An historic drought has stifled hydropower turbines that Zambia relies on for about 85% of supplies. Households have power for just three hours a day. And firms like First Quantum Minerals Ltd. have had to look beyond the nation’s borders for electricity to keep their mines and smelters running.