Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) has developed an Emergency Preparedness Plan to ensure continuous power generation and supply during the 2024-25 rainfall season.
Egenco’s plan comes after repeated warnings by the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (MET) which has forecasted that the country will experience above-normal rainfall during the season.
Speaking on Friday during a stakeholders meeting on the emergency plan, Egenco chief executive officer Maxon Chitawo said normal and above-normal rainfall pattern means more water in the hydro-power plants catchment areas.
He said this will pose challenges to power stations compared to the 2023-24 rainfall season when the country experienced droughts; hence, the need for a plan to minimise the risks.
Said Chitawo: “Our plan is that we should not have power blackouts during the rainfall season and in the case that something has happened, we should be able to respond quickly.”
As part of the plan, Egenco has in place backup power generators with about 40 megawatts capacity in the event of damage to one of the existing stations.
“However, the effectiveness of our plan hinges on enhanced monitoring and early warning systems for potential risks, robust emergency response protocols, coordinated communication and collaboration with stakeholders,” said Chitawo.
He said the measures that have been put in place include pre-season and intra-season.
Pre-season measures include dam inspection and preventive maintenance, equipment checks, identification of possible material sites, preparation of all possible access routes to power stations, employee training and drills, review of emergency handling procedures and communication system testing
On the other hand, intra-season measures include monitoring water levels and weather forecasts, activating emergency response team, evacuating non-essential personnel, implementing flood control measures and coordinating with stakeholders.
In an interview, MET director Lucy Mtilatila commended Egenco for coming up with such a plan, saying it will help in minimising the impact of emergencies such as floods.
She said: “Hydro power generation is climate change. So I commend Egenco for what it is doing to be ahead of times because climate weather is here for us and extreme events are becoming more frequent.
“So, it is important to be ready with such kind of events so that we should be able to respond on time.”
Malawi has for the past years been experiencing disasters that have had impact on electricity generation
In 2022, the country lost 129.6 megawatts after Cyclone Ana damaged Kapichira Hydro Power Station dam. In 2023, Cyclone Freddy also affected power generation.
MET and Ministry of Water and Sanitation have warned of adverse weather conditions such as heavy downpours in some areas that will trigger mudslides and flash floods.
