Escom gets new transformers for Kapichira
Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) says customers should expect reduced ‘power blackouts’ by end of October this year when the corporation will have installed its new transformers bought from China.
The new transformers arrived in the country and were transported to Kapichira on Tuesday.
The giant transformers made quite a stir in Blantyre Tuesday afternoon bringing traffic to a standstill as the convoy of Escom and hired vehicles carrying the power generating machines drove at a snail’s pace to allow a handful residents, who had lined up along the streets, take a good look at them.
Escom public relations officer Kitty Chingota sounding confident said the corporation expects to generate 64 megawatts of electricity through two transformers to be planted at Kapichira.
“[Installation) works on Kapichira will start tomorrow [today] and finish by October end.
So, our customers should expect eased load shedding once the transformers have been commissioned towards the end of next month [October],” said Chingota.
She said the other transformer will be installed in Blantyre West to direct the distribution of power in the commercial capital.
However, Chingota could not disclose how much Escom has spent on the transformers.
CAPTION: Transformers arrived in the country and were transported to Kapichira on Tuesday.
That’s good for the country in terms of industries and the livelihood of citizens. High five to the ESCOM.
Did Malawi purchase used or refurbished Transformers? There is a need for transparency in the procurement system in Malawi to prevent Companies from using the procurement process as away to steal money out of Malawi.
Malawian ought to request information on all the Companies or parties involved in the purchase of not just Transformers but all equipment, from all sectors, to ensure that corruption is not packaged in the deal. Parading Transformers for public show is one thing but showing purchase details with the accompanying Warranty information is the real expectation. Will China replace broken parts for a certain period of time?
As an investment by Malawians, both from suffocating black outs, blown appliances due to black outs, and ever escalating electric bills, ougth to prompt Chingota to lay out the whole transaction for public showing , exactly in the same prideful way she or ESCOM is showing the Transformers, which hopefully, will measure up to the intended goal. It remains to be seen.
Remember the Phone exchange equipment Muluzi and his cronies bought from France? It never yielded any value for Malawians? It got stolen, I believe, demonstrating clearly what a risk his government was to the Nation. Malawi housing lost millions of dollars from apparently official business that never benefited Malawians but certain individuals, under the longest chairman and his general managers.
So Ms. Chingota what say you? Transparency or Euphoria?
Choka iwe chi repoter, the convoy was not moving at a snails pace for the residents to admire them, it was the normal pace at which they were moving. I passed the convoy in Chikangawa and at the pace at which they were moving I felt sorry for the crew. It must have taken at least a month to move from Dar-es-Salaam to Bt.
Its too soon to celebrate of this development.its well overdue to start now getting serious about the power situation.This should have been happening years ago. Its sad to hear all this praise to escom.escom has failed its obligation to serve-all its good at is adjusting electricity tarrifs upwards.and giving senseless reasons for its failures. to supply sufficient power.escom should stop bothering to print its loadshedding programme altogether its a waste of resources.