Escom outsources distribution, maintenance works
Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has outsourced its distribution and maintenance works across the country to increase access to electricity and improve quality of services.
Speaking on Thursday at a stakeholders sensitisation meeting in Mzuzu, Escom’s director of distribution and customer services Peter Mtonda said the institution targets 40 000 customers for new connections this year.
He said the customers are supposed to be connected within 30 to 60 days after paying for a job requiring service cable connection, at least 10 poles and a meter.
Mtonda, however, said the supplier does not have the capacity to meet the set targets.
“We want contractors to assist us in meeting these targets we agreed with Mera [Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority]. The gap is there if we are to do it ourselves. So, one option is to use the local contractors,” he said.
Mtonda said the parastatal will conduct trainings for the contractors to improve their competencies.
“The project is continuous such that we will be setting aside some money in the budget every year to support these activities,” he added, but could not disclose the amount of money set aside for this year’s project.
Speaking later after the meeting, Escom business development manager Wiseman Kabwazi said the project also targets to reduce Escom’s monopoly in generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity in the country.
“People have accused us of monopolising everything in electricity industry. This is an opportunity for the private sector to participate in the industry,” he said.
Kabwazi said the project will also create jobs and market competition among contractors, thereby improving quality of services.
Vice-president for Electrical Contractors Association of Malawi (Elcam), Mark Gadama, said the opportunity presented by Escom will contribute to the growth of their profession.
Escom has a base of 284 000 customers who are connected to electricity. But the institution plans to increase the number to 460 000 in the next four years.
