MCCCI lauds improved electricity supply
The Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) has hailed the improved and stable electricity supply in the country, describing it as a relief to the industry.
Recently, domestic consumers and businesses have endured long hours of electricity blackouts that unleashed serious knocks on their businesses, but things have improved for the better in the past two months.
Recent data provided by the Electricity Generation Company (Egenco) showed that hydropower generation improved by 20 percent following the improvement in Lake Malawi water levels by 0.77 metres above sea level (masl).
According to Egenco, the increase in water levels has allowed the company to increase the opening of the water flows through the Kamuzu Barrage at Liwonde, Machinga from 126 cubic metres (cumecs) to 160 cumecs per second to allow for more water for optimum power generation at its power stations.
Speaking in an interview with Business News on Thursday, MCCCI chief operating officer Chimwemwe Luhanga said though production has not gone up to 100 percent for most businesses, there is relief as companies are now using electricity suppllied by the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) and not diesel generators.
“The industry has been running very expensive business by producing products using generators ,so, steady supply is a relief. The stable supply over the past two months is commendable and we encourage Escom to continue supplying consistent energy to the industry.
“We are aware that plans are underway to diversify to other energy sources. This is some good news too as, maybe, in the long term we may have a situation where we have more reliable electricity in industry,” he said.
Egenco chief executive officer William Liabunya is on record as having promised continuous power availability in the country once it has stabilised.
He said the company envisages itself to be a leading and guaranteed generator of high-quality power for its present and future national and regional customers.
Said Liabunya: “Our company maintains electricity throughout and will reduce the problem of blackouts. We have embarked on a mission to generate reliable quality energy, sufficient for our clients, in a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable manner as driven by excellence and innovation.”
