Power generation capacity up 20%—Egenco
The Electricity Generation Company Malawi (Egenco) says hydropower generation has improved by 20 percent following the improvement in Lake Malawi water levels by 0.77 metres above sea level (masl).
According to the water level and power generation update from Egenco, the increase in the water levels by 0.77 masl to 473.77 masl has allowed Egenco to increase the opening of the water flows through the Liwonde Barrage from 126 cubic metres (cumecs) to 160 cumics per second to allow for more water for optimum power generation at its power stations at Nkula, Kapichira and Tedzani hydropower plants.
In an interview, Egenco public relations officer Mervin Mchenga said the flows have increased generation capacity by about 50 megawatts (MW) to around 250 MW at the current flows, which is a 20 percent increase in generation capacity.
“However, we are still controlling the flows of water from the Lake to ensure that there is adequate water harvested in Lake Malawi” said Mchenga.
For the past months, the country has been experiencing erratic power supply due to low power generation.
The country’s sole power supplier Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) indicated that it was rationing electricity due to low electricity generation which was at between 150MW and 200MW as a result of low water levels in Lake Malawi.
Egenco chief executive officer William Liabunya, however, is on record having said the company is pursuing other projects to double its generation capacity.
Egenco plans to expand Tedzani Hydropower Station in addition to construction of solar and diesel power plants.
There are also plans to construct a 320MW Mpatamanga Hydropower Plant and rehabilitation and modernisation of the current power stations.
Government with support from the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) last year, split Escom into two entities.
The splitting of Escom and creation of Egenco follows the passing of the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill by Parliament in June this year as part of the Power Sector Reforms Project (PSRP), a component of the $350.1 million (about K242 billion) United States of America (USA) Government-funded MCC energy compact that seeks to improve generation and distribution infrastructure in the country. n
