By Daniel Itai.
Nkhotakota, Malawi. (News Of The South) – Malawi’s power utility company, Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) has managed to secure a US$67 million solar power project with United Arab Emirates’ Phanes Group in collaboration with responsAbility Renewable Energy Holding and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
Initial site works have now begun in Nkhotakota and construction of the first phase is targeted for completion by March next year.
“This project demonstrates that solar energy offers a viable path to bringing power to those communities which need it most. We hope the Nkhotakota project will serve as a model for future private investment into the local solar sector.
Lack of power has been a real obstacle to Malawi’s social and economic development,” said Phanes Group chief executive, Martin Haupts.
Currently, only 15 percent of the population has access to power, and the national power capacity is at 362 MW.
The project is expected to help Malawi move away from its traditional reliance on hydropower, which currently comprises of over 95 percent of the country’s energy mix and contribute to the government’s target of increasing power access to 30 percent of the population by 2030 which currently sits at 19 million.
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