Escom assures to restore power in Chikwawa

The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has assured people of Traditional Authority Ndakwera in Chikwawa District that it will restore power in the area.

The power outage was caused by damage to overhead transmission wires during Cyclone Ana in 2022.

However, when Escom officials visited the area to collect the low-lying conductors for safety, community members allegedly chased them away. As a result, the transformer fell prey to vandals, leaving the area without power for close to a year now.

But last week, a video clip showing children playing on low-hanging transmission lines went viral on social media and prompted Escom officials to visit the area to appreciate the situation.

Speaking on Saturday after interacting with concerned community members, Escom public relations officer Peter Kanjere acknowledged the problem, saying there were ongoing efforts to rectify the situation.

He said: “Earlier efforts were hampered by threats from some community members, which prevented Escom personnel from retrieving the low-hanging conductors.

“We wanted to secure the low-lying conductors and store them for safey.”

Grace Chigwata, a community member, said they now travel long distances to access maize mills and other services that require electricity.

She urged the power utility provider to promptly repair the damaged lines, emphasising the impact on businesses, including barbershops and welding shops.

“However, people are afraid that once Escom takes the said materials, power will never be restored in the area,” said Chigwata.

Cyclone Ana also damaged Kapichira Hydro-Power Station in Chikwawa, taking about 129 megawatts off the national grid.