President Peter Mutharika has told Electricity Generation Company (EGENCO) and the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) to improve the country’s power situation before the end of the year.
During a meeting with managements of the two companies, Mutharika said EGENCO and ESCOM should add a minimum of 105 Megawatts to the country’s power grid before the end of the year.
He also directed the power companies to ensure that projects meant to improve Malawi’s power situation are fast-tracked.Mutharika organised the meeting to question EGENCO and ESCOM bosses on why the country is still experiencing blackouts when several measures have been taken to reduce the power cuts.
The two companies told Mutharika that they are still working on meeting electricity demand in the country.
The meeting came a day after Mutharika told the private sector that the problem of electricity blackouts in the country is temporary.
He said his government has lined up various projects in coal power, wind power, solar power, geothermal and hydropower to resolve the energy deficit once and for all.
“By expanding and diversifying power generation, we are doing what this country could not do in fifty years,” Mutharika said.
EGENCO earlier this year installed diesel generators to boost power supply but ESCOM recently admitted that there have been power supply challenges with the generators.
The company said it hopes to reduce the power cuts by bringing in more generators which will add 53 Megawatts when they are installed in July and by buying 20 Megawatts from Zambia.
““By expanding and diversifying power generation, we are doing what this country could not do in fifty years,” Mutharika said.”
Are we actually expanding and diversifying power generation, or are we just talking about it? What CONCRETE examples are there of this expansion and diversification?
Mr President I have been to east Africa black outs are also normal. These countries are richer than Malawi and I think we can not defeat these blackouts completely but maybe reduce them