Nkula Hydro-power station re-commissioned – Escom

The troubled Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom)  says it has re-commissioned Nkula Hydro-power station after the recent devastating floods forced the power supplier to shut it down to avoid severe damage to the machines, saying  said consumers would only experience load shedding due to other reason, including maintanance of distribution lines and not due to flood related repairs.

Kandulu: Nkula is back
Kandulu: Nkula is back
Chingota: Escom PR manager
Chingota: Escom PR manager

“Nkula A machines were re-commissioned on January 22 2015 as scheduled.However,due to excessive silt in the water ways,the shaft seals for the two machines were found to be worn out,” Escom chief Executive
officer John Kandulu told reporters in Blantyre.

“Restoration work for Nkula B power station were completed on time,taking into account the water balancing requirement with Blantyre Water Board (BWB)”,he said.

Escom has a total generating capacity of 315 MW against a suppressed demand of 350MW

The utility body recently announced it would take two of the machines at Kapichira  Power Station —machine three and four—off the grid in a phased manner – for maintenance.

The machines which have a combined capacity of 64 megawatts, installed by China Gezhouba Group (CGG), were only commissioned in December  2013.

According to Escom, they are fixing the shaft seals and installing a firefighting unit in the current maintenance works.

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vwivwivwi
9 years ago

Escom pena timvere chisoni chifukwa sali oziyimira paokha kuti angamapange ziganizo ngati kampani kuti amapanga phindu.Pena safunika kuwamvera chisoni chifukwa akulephera kupeza njira zina zoperekera magetsi ku wanthu pambali pa madzi.Timakhala ndi dzuwa nthawi yayitali osabweletsa solar bwanji, malo ngati nsanje,chikwawa,karonga,salima ndi kk ndikulumikiza ku national grid.China atha kuthandiza mosavuta.apo yambitsani ma community power generation a solar anthu azitenga ngati loan.

aDeaconsss
aDeaconsss
9 years ago

But how come nthawi ya ‘our Kamuzu’ zimenezi za ma black out kunalibe? I grew up not knowing black outs. Ndaziziwa ndiri pa ntchito. Cry my beloved Kamuzu…

genuinengoni
9 years ago

Its not the fault of the CEO or the Engineers but lack of capital investment for capital equipment. Even the most advanced country in Africa is failing to privide enough electricity for its citizens in RSA. If we privitize we will b able to provide electricity but since we always hide behind “government. must privide cheap electricity to its citizens” then we have to face the consequences

hohoba
hohoba
9 years ago

Escom u r sick,,, ma bill anu oambiliw akuchokela kuti??? Fotseki

Malindima
Malindima
9 years ago

I invested over k45m which involved rural electrification to the village from the main road about 7km distance. I waited for 5 years to get the electrification completed. When I commissioned my factory, I thought I could reach break even the next 24 months but not anymore. This project is a total loss due to every day technical problems; I mean every single day. Forget about Malawi developing and forget about FDI if this animal called energy is not resolved. Khaya Atupele a Muluzi ukundimva kaya??????? Sort out this mess!

Neymar
Neymar
9 years ago

Same shit different yrs, our engineers r sick, they cnt use their brains, kum nxt rainy season, we gon experience d same bullshit, sick pipo, sick country!

PHIRI
PHIRI
9 years ago

PRO: Is it true that among the newly hired ESOM Board memebers is an Engineer, a former Employee who was fired years ago because of theft? are you people serious???

Kes munthali
Kes munthali
9 years ago

I can recall as far back as 1992 about this problem of silt and debri affecting nkula, that’s over 22 years of experiencing the same problem. I thought one of the job specifications of being an engineers is to find solutions to problems? Vuto pa nyasaland ndiloto we have many very educated people, with PhDs, Masters etc whose actual specialty is not engineering, law, economics etc but memorising and studying on how to pass exams practical knowledge ZERO…

Mazulu
Mazulu
9 years ago

After critical blackout and now u are saying maintainance but u pple are u sirius .w.ur work?Now atleast you have to consider us.

Banda
Banda
9 years ago

Do policy issues require young and dynamic engineers? Hydro – power generation is not like running a race where the young and the strong wins the race. You should be talking about capital investment and capital budgets.

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