Government sets ambitious power supply target

The Government has an ambitious plan of increase national electrification rate and ensure that 50 percent the population access electricity by 2025.

In Malawi, where reportedly less than 12 percent of the population has access to electricity, the lack of reliable power supply is a major constraint to business and economic growth.

Minister of Energy, Binton Kutsaira, however, said the government is investing heavily towards increasing electricity generation capacity.

He said this during a fact-finding tour he had together with the Cabinet Committee of Energy Projects on Wednesday.

“The current 11 percent is just too low. We want to hit over 50 percent coverage of electricity by 2025 for the country to develop,” he said.

Kutsaira said the government has embarked on projects to increase electricity generation to meet the growing demand of energy.

The committee toured Phombeya Electricity Transmission Substation, Kammwamba Coal Fired Electricity Plant site and construction works of Tedzani 4 Hydro Electric Power Station in Neno District.

Kutsaira, who was accompanied by Minister of Industry and Trade Salim Bagus touted the Kam’mwamba project saying it would reduce the country’s overreliance of Hydro power.

“The water levels continue to drop in the Shire River. You have seen that some power generating machines have been shut down due to the lowering water levels. If we have that plant at Kam’mwamba with its proposed 300 megawatts will be good,” he said.

The Kam’mwamba Project has just been handed over to the Electricity Generation Company.

Meanwhile, the construction works at Tedzani 4 Hydro Electric Plant will be completed by end 2020.