Electricity woes worsen in Lilongwe: Vandals, rains ring down Escom power lines

Vandals and torrential rains have brought down the main power lines that supply electricity from Nkula Falls to Lilongwe, worsening electricity woes in the country.

Escom transmission manager Alfred Kaponda said over K600 million is needed to bring the situation back to normal.

This is in addition to daily electricity woes that has seen Escom heavily load-shedding power, releasing power for an average of less than eight hours a day, a situation blamed on low levels of water in Shire river.

“We have put in place measures to ensure electricity is available despite the damage,” said Kaponda.

The police have already arrested four men from Neno in connection with the bringing down of the electricity lines.

President Peter Mutharika acknowledged electricity problems people are facing and as expected, he repeated of long term plans of coal fired power among others as a solution.

Kaponda said the districts affected by the ringing down of the power lines are Ntcheu, Dedza, Balaka and Lilongwe.