The Ministry of Energy has revealed goals for increasing power generating capacity with 498.3 megawatts (mw) within five years.

The above was confirmed by the Ministry’s Director of Energy Cassius Chiwambo, who revealed that the ministry is geared to implementing projects and programmes to increase electricity access rate to help contribute towards economic growth.

Currently the electrification rate stands at 11%, against a population of 18.5 million people, according to the National Statistics Office report in 2018. “The government has taken a public sector approach to increasing energy supply and reliability by either going it alone, partnering other players or stimulating private sector investment,” Chiwambo said.

Among key projects, Malawi-Mozambique and Malawi-Zambia interconnectors, which will have a combined capacity of 1,000mw. Other projects the Ministry is counting on are the 18.3mw Tedzani IV hydropower station and the 35mw Mpatamanga hydropower project. Chiwambo said the ministry is facilitating the development of a solar power plant at Nanjoka in Salima with a capacity of 60mw and it is expected that partial operation of the power plant will start in April 2021, to reach full operation by June 2021.