Malawi power black outs back as Escom laments low water levels, faults

Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) says power black outs are now back in full swing due to inadequate electricity supply blamed on faults on low water levels.

Health workers using mobile phone light during blackout

In a statement, Escom says currently Aggreko generators are online but the main power supplier, Egenco, is experiencing restrictions to supply to Escom due to failure of their two machines at Kapichira and also failure of the 20MW diesel generators at Mapanga.

“This, combined with further decline in water flow, has resulted in reduction of available power by 86.48MW,” says Escom.

The power distributor says as such it has been forced to implement a six hour rolling power rationing.

Escom says customers have been divided into three groups of A, B and C, with one group starting from 5am to 11am, followed by 10am to 4pm group and the last load-shedding period from 3pm to 9pm.

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Ashamed Cadet
Ashamed Cadet
4 years ago

APM and his Lomwe Thieves are a total embarrassment. What do we tell people now having given them so many promises——Gensets——Egenco—-Solar Power—-Additional Hydro—— APM has now resolved power problems—— Power Intrrconnection from Mozambique—— Tapping Power from Zambia——Geothermal Power Generation—— Many Investors have come to generate power——- WERE WE ALL LYING TO MALAWIANS for votes?? Surely APM you have failed and you do not deserve to be president of Malawi. This DPP Government is full of dead wood including the President who are very good at lying and stealing! We the cadets now can see that we are supporting nepotism, abuse… Read more »

CRITICAL THINKER
CRITICAL THINKER
4 years ago

DPP led govt……………….. hahahahahaha umbuli basi. no vision. kuba basi. stadium ya chani. tizikanika kusunga ndiwo munyumba

Muntu
Muntu
4 years ago

If our government was on good terms with our neighbors we should be in a position to buy some from them.
Wasn’t there some talk about negotiations to acquire more power from both Zambia and Mozambique?

Malawi
4 years ago

No wonder you are the worlds poorest country… Keep selling mandasi and burning makala …fools !!!

Harbson
Harbson
4 years ago

It is not true that the load shedding is for 6 hours/day. Several houses in Matawale, Zomba have no electricity for days. This is the fourth day without power. We tried to call faults but their phone keep on ringing without any response. They cannot even explain why we are in this state.

Achiswe'.'
4 years ago

Here we go again! APM continues in power and what is he doing to ensure an electricity supply 24/7? Oh, he is planning to build two stadiums for private soccer teams. Well done Mr President!

Mtete
Mtete
4 years ago

Listen good people/customers and listen good. Egenco and ESCOM are telling the truth. Malawi’s power generation system is very weak and not diversified, relying solely on hydro generation. The Agreko thing was just a face saver brought in the system in the runner up to the controversial May 21 when was a meaningful additional to power generation? September, 2000. Nothing since then, 19 years on. By the way this was a brainchild of MCP//Kamuzu. Has power demand remained static? Ofcource not. What then do you expect? Oh. May be it should be the inefficient government to blame, not ESCOM/Egenco Management.… Read more »

FRED LOCKS
4 years ago

TIPEX GOVT AT WORK

Mbwiye
Mbwiye
4 years ago

Anzathu a magetsi can you please give pipo a break on this? Year in year out prolonged blackouts? Iyayi, let people focus their attention on elections case that chakwera and chilima are going to lose shortly.

Mandado@147
Mandado@147
4 years ago

And yet you want to build stadiums you stupid cunts! I lived abroad for 10 years not a single day the lights went off! Water levels drop there is also climate change but you invest in technology and alternative backup power not gen-set siphoning money. The same Chinese you asked for a stadium are building hydropower dams in central and west Africa!! No visionary leaders you choose.

Brian Phiri
Brian Phiri
4 years ago
Reply to  Mandado@147

Hydropower is expensive to build and maintain, while it also requires expensive maintenance. At the same time, it depends on water levels – so when water force gets low, the output from hydropower will fall – which is the exact same thing happening today (ESCOM keeps complaining that water levels are low due to less rainfall, hence generation capacity is reduced). Hence, solar power farms are the answer. As Malawi, and given our financial situation today (budget), we need funding either through a grant or a loan from World Bank or other donor to invest in this. There is plenty… Read more »

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