Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) says it has installed the shunt reactor at Phombeya Substation in Balaka in a move touted as a major step towards realisation of the power interconnection project.
In an update issued over the Easter weekend, Escom said the shunt reactor acts as the stabiliser of its system, absorbing excess reactive power to prevent dangerous voltage spikes.
The Mozambique-Malawi (MoMa) power interconnector project is regarded as a lifeline for Malawi to the Southern Africa region through the 400 kilovolts (kV) power line as one of the regional backbone to allow the country to trade power with the flexibility the modern economy demands.
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Escom said while the 218-kilometre transmission line from Matambo in Mozambique is the highway for electricity, the shunt reactor is the ultimate stabiliser.
Reads the statement: “In a 400kV high-voltage system, power can sometimes become ‘restless’ during low-demand periods, causing voltage spikes that could jeopardise the entire national grid.
“Here is where the shunt reactor’s job comes in to absorb excess energy: It soaks up reactive power to prevent equipment damage. The shunt reactor further acts as a shield for both the Malawian and Mozambican grids.”
The update further indicated that Malawi has now completed its side of the infrastructure and wait for Mozambique to finalise erecting towers to cross the electricity lines over the Zambezi River.
During the Southern Africa Power Pool (Sapp) in Lilongwe last month, Chief Secretary to the Office of President and Cabinet Justin Saidi expressed optimism Mozambique will have finalised its part in this quarter to commission the project.
On government readiness to pay the $5 million (about K8.7 billion) monthly electricity imports bill, he assured that the foreign exchange will be available.
Said Saidi: “Within the shortest period, you have seen that the economy has stabilised and import cover is also on a good footing.
Malawi initially planned to tap 120MW at about $10 million (about K17.5 billion) a month but it was reduced to 50MW at about $5 million (about K8.75 billion) per month in the first five years.
Valued at $154 million (about K269.5 billion), the project is part of the broader Sapp framework.
The full interconnector spans 218 km, 400 kilovolts high voltage power transmission line linking Matambo Substation in Tete, Mozambique and Phombeya Substation in Balaka, Malawi.
The project was relaunched in 2021 and seeks to connect Malawi to Mozambique’s electricity grid, enhancing power reliability and advancing regional energy integration. Escom is implementing the project on behalf of the Malawi government.
Currently, Malawi has a total installed capacity of 554.24MW comprising 401.8MW from hydro, 51.4MW from diesel power generation and 101MW from solar sources, according to Escom.
