Electricity shortages that have frustrated households and slowed businesses could ease following a major 50 megawatt agreement aimed at strengthening Malawi’s power supply and stabilising the national grid.
The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi has signed a 50MW Transmission Connection Agreement with ESCOM Limited and Press Energy Limited, unlocking a key step toward adding new solar power into the system.
The agreement, signed in Blantyre on 26 June 2026, paves the way for electricity from a planned solar project in Nkhoma, Lilongwe, to be transmitted into the national grid.
Under the arrangement, Press Energy Limited will construct a transmission line to evacuate and inject power from the 50MW solar plant into ESCOM’s existing infrastructure, increasing available supply to consumers.
The project builds on a Power Purchase Agreement signed in December 2024, which set the foundation for the solar development now moving closer to implementation.
ESCOM Chief Executive Officer Eng. William Kaipa said the deal marks progress in efforts to improve reliability and reduce load shedding affecting many parts of the country.
“We made a promise to Malawians that within eight months we would improve power supply in the country and address load shedding. This agreement is another important milestone,” Kaipa said.
He added that partnerships with independent power producers remain central to expanding generation capacity.
“We are connecting power to the grid, but also connecting Malawians to opportunities and businesses to growth,” he said.
On the investor side, Press Corporation Limited Chief Executive Officer Professor Ronald Mangani said the initiative reflects a shared responsibility to improve energy security and support national development.
He said investment in solar energy will help reduce pressure on the grid and support economic activity that is often disrupted by power outages.
Once completed, the 50MW plant is expected to add significant capacity to Malawi’s electricity supply, helping reduce the frequency and severity of blackouts affecting households and industry.
