INDENI Petroleum Refinery finally resumed production yesterday raising prospects of a steady supply of fuel.

The company's managing director, Michael Faulkner, confirmed the development in an interview in Ndola yesterday.

"We resumed oil refining operations in the morning after receiving a consignment of crude oil from the port in Tanzania," Dr Faulkner said.

He said the plant was now operating at full capacity with the arrival of the feedstock.

Energy and Water Development acting Permanent Secretary, Oscar Kalumiana, said in a separate interview that it would take a few days before the refinery could start supplying finished petroleum products to the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).

Mr Kalumiana said the OMCs would continue importing finished petroleum products at a reduced scale and paid tribute to OMCs for their support before the crude oil arrived.

Indeni was shut down last month on July 9 after it ran out of crude oil and the Government announced that normal operations of the company would resume at the end of last month.

The feedstock had, however, not arrived by the initial date expected because of delays in concluding the payments by the PTA Bank, which financed the procurement.

A two-year US$400 million crude oil financing contract with Zanaco is expected to be concluded as soon as the Attorney-General endorses the deal.