Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) says it is producing 26 megawatts (MW) of the 53MW expected from diesel generators in use after the other generators went out of use due to faults.
Egenco spokesperson Moses Gwaza said yesterday that spareparts to fix the generators and other stations will start arriving this September.
“They will start arriving this month, because part of the payments have already been made and haulage is on course,” he said briefly.
already made. | Nation
In a separate statement yesterday, Egenco management maintained that it does not intend to hire any diesel generators, whether from within Malawi or from outside the country.
The company said it already owns diesel generators located at Mapanga in Blantyre, Kanengo in Lilongwe A and Luwinga in Mzuzu, but said some of them are currently non-operational due to the unavailability of critical spare parts.
Reads the statement: “Egenco’s intention is to rehabilitate and recommission its existing diesel generators to supplement hydropower generation during periods of peak electricity demand.”
The statement said government has supported the initiative with approximately $8.1 million (about K14 billion) allocated for the procurement of critical spare parts for both hydropower stations and diesel generation facilities.
Environmental rights activist Mathews Malata said that while the 2025 amended Forestry Act introduces tough penalties for illegal charcoal production, absence of reliable electricity and affordable alternatives such as liquefied petroleum gas and briquettes, households may inevitably revert to charcoal use.
Malawi has total installed capacity of 564.2MW, comprising 401.8MW from hydro, 51.4MW from diesel and 111MW from solar sources as produced by Egenco and other players, according to Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi data.
