By Sheminah Nkhoma
Lilongwe, January 24, Mana: Government has expressed satisfaction with Independent power producers (IPPs) as they are at the center of improving livelihoods and achieving Malawi’s 2063 vision in the energy sector.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency ( MANA) , Spokesperson for Ministry of Energy, Austin Theu highlighted the importance of IPPs saying they bring much-needed investment, innovation and expertise to expand the generation capacity, diversify energy sources and improve energy access.
He said by 2030, Malawi's estimated electricity demand is projected to reach approximately 774MW, while the expected generation capacity for the same year is forecasted to be around 1,500MW; this significant surplus in generation capacity creates an ideal opportunity for power exports, which could provide a new revenue stream and foreign exchange earnings for the country.
“The power sector in Malawi is getting interconnected, digitalised and decentralised. This complements government efforts and accelerate the transition towards sustainable energy sector helping the country to move towards the energy goal,” he said.
Theu further articulated that IPPs’ investment in renewable energy projects help to diversify the energy mix and ensure supply resilience against climate-related disruptions.
“IPPs are playing a pivotal role in bridging the gap between demand and supply of electricity, reducing load shedding and enabling the electrification of more areas, “ he stated.
In his remarks, an energy expert, Grain Malunga has urged government to increase energy investment to meet energy demand in the country.
“Reaching the energy target capacity government alone or Electricity Supply Cooperation of Malawi (ESCOM) can not meet so it is important for the IPPs to be given a room to be investing in the energy sector,” said Malunga.
Currently, Malawi has three operational IPPs such as Mulanje Hydro Limited with 8.2MW from hydropower; JCM Matswani with 60MW from solar in Salima and 20MW from solar energy with battery storage in Golomoti; and Serengeti Solar in Nkhotakota with 21MW.
