The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has said it has completed only 30 percent of the necessary maintenance on its machinery, raising concerns about intermittent power supply as the rainy season approaches.
Escom’s Chief Operations Officer, Maxwell Mulimakwenda, explained that this situation arises from the institution’s lack of resources to carry out maintenance work.
Mulimakwenda made these remarks on Saturday in Mzuzu during an inspection by the Natural Resources and Climate Change Committee and the Government Assurances committees of Parliament regarding the progress of the Malawi Electricity Access Project (Meap).
He added that recently, some parts of the country experienced rainfall that affected power distribution, heightening concerns about what may occur when the rainy season is in full swing.
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The Escom official further stressed that regular maintenance and timely upgrades are crucial for maintaining a robust power distribution network.
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He insisted that Escom is, however, struggling to generate adequate funds through tariffs.
“It is a cause for concern, but it is due to our lack of resources to undertake proper maintenance. That is why we have managed to complete only 30 percent.
“As we approach the rainy season, it is indeed worrying. We, as Escom, are concerned about how we will manage the situation but we are coping with whatever resources we have,” Mulimakwenda said.
Regarding the Meap project, he reported that 85,125 households have been connected so far, out of a target of 180,000.
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In response to the concerns raised, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate, Werani Chilenga, said Escom has been unable to raise additional funds partly due to some government institutions’ failure to settle their electricity bills.
“While we appreciate that Escom requires a tariff increase, this would not be the appropriate time due to issues related to fuel levies.
“We should also be aware that some government institutions believe they are too important to repay what they owe to bodies such as Escom,” Chilenga said.
The $150 million Meap project, funded by the World Bank, is a five-year initiative launched in January 2020 to support the government in increasing electricity access.
Currently, about 20 percent of Malawians have access to electricity, both on and off the grid.
