LUSAKA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Zambia requires about 20 million U.S. dollars to completely phase out the use of incandescent bulbs and enforce the use of energy saving bulbs, a senior government official said on Tuesday.
Zambia has already banned the use and manufacture of incandescent bulbs as one way to deal with a power deficit the county has been grappling with since 2015.
Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary Kayula Siame said the money was required to procure and distribute about five million energy saving bulbs in the country.
She told reporters during a press briefing that the ban on the use and manufacture of incandescent bulbs came into effect on January 1, 2017 following the issuance of a statutory instrument, adding that the phasing out of the bulbs was a viable means of saving energy.
The phasing out of the incandescent bulbs was expected to save about 200 megawatts of power, she added.
The government has since zero-rated the importation of energy-saving bulbs.
