Quantel ‘Bwengu Solar Park’ to feed 50MW into Malawi electricity grid

QUANTEL Renewable Energy—a multinational independent power producer (IPP)—has announced a project that is expected to pump in about 50 megawatts to the national electricity grid once completed.

Nyasa Times learnt the development during the signing of 14 power purchase agreement (PPA) deals involving the Electricity Supply Cooperation of Malawi (ESCOM), Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) and three other IPPs at Sunbird Mount Soche Hotel in Malawi’s commercial capital of Blantyre.

QUANTEL chief executive officer (CEO), Melvin Fields, said the Bwengu Project—to be implemented from next August would be a “historic” milestone in Malawi’s energy sector.

“The Bwengu Solar Park has the capacity to generate 50 MW , and may go  up to more than 65Mwp/year, translating into  the significant  supply of  clean  and sustainable energy to homes and commercial businesses in Malawi,” said Fields.

Fields hailed ESCOM for the PPA describing the state-run utility body’s commitment to eradicate the electricity challenges facing the country; and largely “a step towards achieving clean, renewable  and climate- smart  energy.”

Said Fields: “This agreement is a fruit of hard work, that led to  satisfaction of  the mandatory requirements stipulated in the IPP Framework of Malawi.  Pleasurably, we will roll out the [Bwengu] project to build a 50 Megawatts Solar PV energy facility on  a piece of land  stretching 125 Acres, at Ulalo Nyirenda Village in Traditional Authority Jalavikuwa Bwengu in Mzimba District.”

According to him, the power generated from the Solar Park will be fed directly into the national grid via a direct connection point at Bwengu  Escom substation located just 1,000 meters from the Solar Park.

“The facility is expected to be commissioned six months after project ready-to-build-stage, and we are equally committed to share a common vision with all the stakeholders for the execution of the Bwengu Solar Park Project within the specified timeframe, as a way of contributing towards   reinforcing power supply in Malawi,” he said

He added: “We are extremely happy to learn that this initiative goes beyond merely providing access to clean and sustainable energy to the people of Malawi to most importantly, contributing towards the attainment of  national and international development policies like the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy MDGS III and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)  hence our promise to deliver to the expected standard.”

QUANTEL Renewable Energy Ltd is a Consortium of American Companies incorporated in Malawi and a local company Inspired Group Limited aimed at producing sustainable clean and renewable Energy.

Driven by the increased demand for energy in Africa, propelled by rapid population growth and industrialisation among others, QUANTEL Renewable Energy did feasibility studies in 16 countries in Africa, to include in Malawi, where such studies were conducted in 2016, in   Salima, Karonga and Mzimba districts.

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