Malawians in the southern region are bracing for repeated darkness every Sunday and Monday.
The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi says the interruptions are part of works on the 44km, 66 kilovolts Mapanga–Fundis line, stretching through Thyolo, Mulanje, Phalombe and Chiradzulu, a critical corridor that feeds thousands of homes and businesses.
Speaking on the project, ESCOM’s Public Relations Officer Pilirani Phiri said the works will involve replacing wooden poles with concrete structures along the transmission corridor to Thyolo, Mulanje, Phalombe and Chiradzulu.
Phiri said to allow engineers to safely carry out the upgrade, ESCOM will enforce deliberate outages along the route on Sundays and Mondays throughout the project period.
“We are appealing to our customers along that route to bear with us. It’s a case of breaking eggs to make an omelette. These outages are necessary to ensure the project is implemented properly and safely,” he said.
The upgrade will run from June to December 2025 and ESCOM says the use of concrete poles will improve reliability and reduce frequent faults linked to wooden structures.
Residents in Thyolo, Mulanje, Phalombe and Chiradzulu are therefore advised to plan for power interruptions every Sunday and Monday until ESCOM completes the works.
