Malawi’s Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola has disclosed that the feasibility studies on a thermo plant to be built at Zalewa in Blantyre have been completed. Government is yet to seek for financial assistance from the Chinese government to execute the project.
The plant which will be built by a Chinese company Chana Ghezhouba, once completed will produce 300 to 1 000 megawatts of electricity per day.
Said Matola, “Escom produces about 280 megawatts per day but this thermo plant will be producing 300 megawatts and when fully operational, will generate 1 000 megawatts.
“We have chosen to go thermo as one way of diversifying our energy sector and also because it will be easier to construct than a hydro power plant. As a country, we are diversifying sources of energy because we will be able to generate forex after being connected to the Southern Africa power pool.”
He was speaking on Tuesday during the ground breaking ceremony for the installation of solar street lights at Capital Hill in Lilongwe.
He said after entering into an interconnection agreement with Mozambique, Malawi will have enough sources of energy and during off-peak period, the country will be selling power to other countries.
Chinese Ambassador Pan Hejun said his country is committed to assisting the country use other means of generating energy apart from hydro as one way of fighting climate change.
“We want to help the country diversify its sources of energy and apart from the thermo plant we are also thinking of building a biogas plant so that the country puts to good use its green energy resources,” said Hejun.
