Illovo Sugar Malawi company has embarked on an initiative to reduce its peak time power requirements from Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) thereby enabling ESCOM to provide increased access to power for other customers in the country.
In a statement, Illovo Managing Lekani Katandula said that their decision to work with ESCOM on this initiative is guided by their purpose of creating a thriving Malawian community through the provision of affordable food and energy.
According to Katandula, the company is optimizing some of its requirements by shifting its irrigation patterns to take more power during off peak hours which enables the business to reduce its peak time power requirements from ESCOM thereby enabling the power supplier to provide increased access to power for other users in the country.
Katandula added that Illovo currently reduced its power demand by 4MW during the off-peak period through this shifting of irrigation practices.
“The company is also finalizing, plans to improve the use of its own power with ESCOM support, so that it can further reduce its power demand from ESCOM.
“It is planned that some of the plans will be implemented by end July 2022. Such collaborative initiatives are critical for ESCOM and all other companies to improve access to power for all Malawians and to promote the growth of businesses in the country,” he said.
He added that Illovo Sugar Malawi is also on a drive to enhance its efforts towards environmental conservation as well as sustain the existing biodiversity surrounding its operations, whilst reducing waste and pollution by partnering with its staff, communities, and other stakeholders.
He noted that the company has a number of practices and programs within its operations that protect the environment. He went on to say that the activities include overall water management by using effluent water treatment plants and sewage ponds to purify wastewater for irrigation, management of solid, liquid and gaseous waste by following government set standards and segregation of waste at all sites for recycling and burning using incinerators.
The company has stated that it remains committed to working on ways that ensure it continuously improves its practices as well as support national initiatives where possible on the same.
