Power outages to persist—Chakwera

President Lazarus Chakwera says power blackouts will persist till December when Kapichira Power plant which was damaged by Tropical Storm Ana, will be rehabilitated.

Chakwera made the remarks today when he commissioned the JCM Golomoti Solar Power plant which has a 5MW battery storage which will be used at night or during cloudy days. JCM Golomoti Solar Power Plant is located in Dedza district.

He said government with support from the World Bank will rehabilitate the Kapichira Power plant. He however, said that while the country is yet to meet electricity demand, there is hope for improvement following the launch of the 20 Megawatt (MW) Golomoti Solar Power.

“We may not be out of the woods yet, but I can assure you that we are moving in the right direction to produce and provide the power that is needed for the development so that Malawi 2063 is not just a pipe dream, but something that is being realized,” Chakwera said. Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola has advised the opposition political leaders in the country to oppose responsibly not to cause panic amongst Malawians.

Speaking at the same event, Minister of Energy, Ibrahim Matola, said the current administration has not failed. Matola said the fact that foreign investors like JCM Power and others continue investing in Malawi means that the government is on the right track towards ending power challenges.