Minister Kambala promised uninterupted supply of electricity: Phombeya targeted for interconnection with Mozambique and Zambia

Minister of Energy, Newton Kambala has  said Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi’s power substation at Phombeya in Balaka is earmarked to be upgraded for possible power interconnection with Mozambique and Zambia,stressing government’s commitment to providing continued supply of electricity as the country continues to explore more sources of energy apart from hydro generated power.

Quite an impressive investment
Minister Kambala being briefed of services provided at Phombeya

This was disclosed on Wednesday when Kambala visited the substation which is situated along the Blantyre-Lilongwe Zalewa road.

“There are a lot of areas that need improvement so that as a country we generate enough electricity at all times. We are currently working hard to identify new sources of energy such as solar and wind generated electricity.

“There were talks of coal as a source of energy especially at Kamwamba. However the project stalled due to financial constraints as most countries are reluctant to fund coal generated power as it is considered as a big pollutant,” said Kambala.

ESCOM’s acting director of distribution, Masauko Mula said Phombeya is one of their main substation from power generating plant at Nkula in Neno District.

He appraised the Minister of various parts of the country which Phombeya provides its power to, saying this was one of ESCOM’s very important substation.

The Minister, an engineer by profession who has worked at ESCOM for a long time and was part of the process when the Phombeya project was initiated through funding from USA’s Millenium Challenge project, said it was pleasing that this is a sophisticated substation in this part of Africa.

“It seems we are ready to receive connections from other countries and the government will be pushing for more funding for interconnection with Mozambique and Zambia.

“Modern technology was invested here. We have lagged behind in such kind of investment,” he said.

He has also visited Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) to see how they can improve on power generation and was assured that will be done once construction of Tedzani 4 is completed.

“The contractor has accelerated construction of Tedzani 4 and assured us that it will be delivered by end of February, 2021 ready to be commissioned.

“Construction was meant to end by December, 2021 but despite some challenges faced due to Covid-19 lockdowns where equipment supplies were coming from, the contractor has managed to overcome them,” he said.

Currently, ESCOM has a solar plant project in Salima as another another alternative to improve power generation.

The Minister said Covid-19 lockdown has also affected construction of the Salima project in Salima after some of the Chinese engineers went back home for Christmas holidays but got trapped when their country ordered the lockdown.

“However, solar takes up a lot of land and we are thinking of putting them on roofs or floating them on the lake.

“We are currently working to have an assessment that floating the panels on Lake Malawi should not affect the tourism industry, which is one of the country’s source of revenue.”

Last year, German firm Droege Energy, won a bid as an independent power producer (IPP) to install floating solar power panels on the Lake Malawi at Monkey Bay in Mangochi but the Minister said that project is on hold awaiting the feasibility study in relation to the tourism sector.

On a coal project at Kammwamba also along the Zalewa road, the Minister said challenges faced in this type of power generation is that donor development partners are reluctant to assist because coal affects environmental pollution.

He said Escom will ask for more independent power producers to supply more power in order to end the constant load shedding.

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Let
Let
3 years ago

But Zambia is also experiencing load shedding

Makala Business
3 years ago

I am worried about the continued makala business and now the northern region is being targeted and people from other regions have migrated to the north having destroyed the environment elsewhere under the leadership of Muluzi and Alamu Pumani Mwakalamba. Bring sustainable electricity this will stop. Get the Department of Environment and Forestry working again. The Directors in the two departments are being paid for doing nothing.

Kelvin
Kelvin
3 years ago

If the Coal power generation has lots of environmental effect, then discard it!! Where are we with the Mozambique interconnection project?? And you journalists why did you not ask about the power supply Mozambique is tapping at North Rukuru??

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