Electricity Generation Company (EGENCO) will shut down Nkula B Power Station this weekend and this means 100 megawatts of hydropower generation which is about 40% of the current power generation capacity will not be available for supply to the national grid.
Onn 30th and 31st July 2022, EGENCO will shut down the power station for 8 hours on each day in order to allow for an emergency maintenance of trash raking machines and screens.
The recovery and repair works will require the complete shutdown of Nkula B Power Station to allow safe working environment for divers, welders and other staff working there.
“At the Nkula B intake a trash-raking machine is stuck under water and all attempts to remove it without shutting down the station have failed miserably. The works to remove it will therefore involve divers getting under water to remove the stuck trash rake, Inspect intake screens and repair damaged screens.
“These works are necessary to ensure efficient raking at Nkula B Intake for sustained Power Production and prevent further damage to the screens and underwater machine parts as large objects may enter the tunnel through the damage or dislodged fine screens,” EGENCO said in a statement yesterday.
Malawians should therefore brace themselves for extended blackouts during these days due to the loss of 100 megawatts of hydropower generation.
Meanwhile, EGENCO has said it will run all available diesel power plants to reduce the impact of the shutdown.
Follow us on Twitter:
