US gives Egenco weed harvesters to cut on power black-outs
The United States government has given Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) two weed harvesters worth US$40 million which both Washington and Lilongwe would reduce power black outs the country is experiencing.
The US ambassador to Malawi, Virginia Palmer said weed is a serious problem in the production of hydro-power as it gets stuck in turbines and damages machines forcing a stop to the production of electricity.
She said when the machines are damages due to the weed, popularly known as anamasupuni, the government spends huge sums of money to repair them as well as causing economic loss to the country due to power black outs.
The two weed harvesters are stationed at Liwonde Barrage.
The US has provided Malawi the weed harvesters through the US$350 million Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
Minister of Energy Aggrey Massi, who received the machines on behalf of Malawi, immediately handed over them to Egenco, the state power producing company.
He said the coming of the weed harvesters would improve power generation.
Palmer has always expressed worry over inefficiencies at Egenco and Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom), the distributor of electricity.
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More money and equipment. I just wonder over the years where all the money, equipment has gone.
WITH DPP THESE WEED HARVESTERS WILL END UP IN
THEIR FARMS
THE WAY THEY DID WITH
OUR TRACTORS BOUGHT FROM INDIA