Government to commission hydropower study

Malawi Government says it will commission a feasibility study for Mpatamanga hydropower project on Shire River which, according to the Ministry of Energy, will generate between 160 and 300 megawatts.

Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola said in an interview on the sidelines of Total Malawi’s 50th Anniversary in Blantyre that government is committed to power generation because it is critical to economic development.

Last week, the Ministry of Energy said it had received a grant and a credit from the World Bank to finance activities in the energy sector including the feasibility study.

The ministry said the study includes the assessment of Mpatamanga hydropower plant and associated transmission lines to a suitable grid substation which will involve engineering design and layout for the main structures of the project after which a full feasibility study report will allow mobilisation of resources for further development of the project.

Matola said government is committed to developing more electricity power plants citing Kapichira phase II project which will add about 64.8 megawatts to the national grid.

Kapichira Phase II project is expected to be commissioned this month.

“We are looking at generating power whether thermal, solar or hydro because energy affects economic development. Government policy is to commission a new power plant every five years bearing in mind the increase in demand for electric power that Malawi is experiencing,” said Matola.

Malawi suffers a power shortage although experts argue the country has enough exploitable hydropower sites which can generate up to a total of 1 000 megawatts.

The experts have noted that the current tariffs are a deterrent to private investors arguing they are not attractive.

Experts have also encouraged government to start looking at alternatives to hydropower arguing it is prone to climate change.

Government recently said it will construct a coal fired power plant which is expected to double Malawi’s electricity generation.

Malawi also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of another coal fired power plant by Intra Energy Corporation at Chipoka in Salima which will generate about 120 megawatts.

Malawi also signed a power interconnector with Mozambique which will see the country importing and exporting power from its neighbour.