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Egenco, Escom switch off diesel gensets

Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) and Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) have switched off diesel generators due to increased hydro electricity generation resulting from heavy rains the country is getting.

The development is expected to see the twin power utilities save resources incurred on operational costs of the generators.

Some of the diesel generators that feed into the national power grid

Escom and Egenco have been running separate diesel back-up power generators due to low water levels in the Shire River that led to reduced hydro electricity generation.

In an interview, Egenco senior public relations officer Moses Gwaza said electricity production now stands at 250 megawatt (MW) from hydro plants and generators.

He said the current combined installed generation capacity is 411.60MW and the available generation capacity is 342.05MW.

Said Gwaza: “Currently, we are not using gensets. We are able to meet electricity demand from hydropower alone. I am saying this because it depends on the demand per specific period of time.”

To sustain the power generation, he said the company is continuing with rehabilitation, modernising and upgrading of Tedzani III to add 10MW and has also embarked on a 20MW solar project at Nanjoka in Salima as well as putting up solar plants at both Likoma and Chizumulu Islands.

Escom public relations manager Innocent Chitosi agreed with Egenco that the two institutions are working closely to sustain power generation and supply.

He said the gensets are available to supplement hydro-generation and are run based on demand.

In an earlier interview, Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) executive director John Kapito said as consumers they acknowledge the fading away of blackouts but they remain cautious on what happens after the good rains that have been attributed to the improvement.

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