By Daniel Zimba:
The government has expressed satisfaction with progress of the Mpatamanga Hydropower Project.
The project is premised on establishing a 358-megawatt (mw) Mpatamanga hydropower plant along the Shire River in Neno District.
The $1.5 billion project is at the development stage, with a modern bridge already constructed across the river, among other things.
Chief Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet Justin Saidi told The Daily Times after inspecting the project site yesterday that the project was part of efforts to expand the country’s electricity generation capacity to over 1,000 megawatts and increase the population accessing it from 12 percent to over 30 percent.
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“We are excited about the progress [made] and the government is ready to support this project so that, come 2030, we will have achieved what we wanted to achieve,” Saidi said.
The project is being implemented under the Malawi Energy Compact and is key to addressing power generation and supply challenges besetting the country.
Saidi also urged Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) and Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi officials to remain committed to supporting the materialisation of the government’s goals.
On his part, Mpatamanga Hydro Power Limited General Manager Antoine Gerboud said feasibility studies were completed and that financial negotiations were nearing an end.
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He assured that, probably by the end of 2026 or early 2027, actual construction works of the power plant would start.
Gerboud said, once completed, the project, which is expected to run for four to five years, would contribute about 2.9 percent annually to the national economy and create over 2,500 jobs, among other economic opportunities.
On his part, Egenco Chief Executive Officer William Liabunya said the power plant had the potential to transform the country’s fortunes.
“This will be the biggest power generation plant in the country and his [Saidi’s] visit has just added a voice to the project, [to the effect] that the government is committed to completing this project,” Liabunya said.
Meanwhile, Egenco alone produces close to 400mw of electricity at its Nkula A and B, Kapichira I and II, Tedzani I, II, III, and Wovwe power generation plants.
