Egenco plans 30MW diesel power plant

Electricity Generation Company of Malawi (Egenco) says it has engaged a consultant to commission a 30 megawatts (MW) diesel power generation plant.

The move is expected to ease the current power challenges in the country.

In an interview on Sunday,Egenco spokesperson Moses Gwaza said the 30MW is a short-term solution to the current power woes, following the drop in generation capacity to around 312 MW as a result of the breakdown of Kapichira Hydro Power Station which took off about 129.6 MW from the national grid.

This followed the flooding of the Shire River due to Tropical Storm Ana, a situation that forced Egenco to shut down the station.

Gwaza said: “The project to install a 30MW diesel generating power plant at different sites in Malawi is a move we have taken and deemed necessary in order to improve resilience amidst the ever-growing demand for electricity.”

He said the project entails design-build, supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of 30MW net diesel power generation plants and associated equipment on sites close to the road centres of Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre.

Meanwhile, the company has also announced plans to construct a 50MW combined cycle gas turbine power plant in a bid to diversify energy sources in the country.

The energy utility is currently looking for a consultant to conduct a feasibility study of the project located at Chipoka in Salima and Liwonde in Liwonde, while another site will need to be selected through the scope of the consultancy.

In an interview, energy expert Grain Malunga said the country needs to continuously make meaningful investments in electricity generation to improve power generation.

Egenco lost 129.6 MW from Kapichira Power Station which suffered extensive damage, particularly at its dam, following the flooding of the Shire River due to Tropical Storm Ana, a situation that forced Egenco to shut down the station.

Meanwhile, the company has indicated that talks are now at an advanced stage with the World Bank on funding the project.