The electricity interconnector was launched in November 2021
* As construction works on Mozambican side gets completed following Malawi finalising its part in February 2025 as targeted
* The line between the two countries was energised on August 8 during which 5MW of electricity was imported from Mozambique
By Duncan Mlanjira
The Ministry of Energy has announced that construction works of the transmission line for the Mozambique-Malawi (MOMA) 400KV power interconnection has been fully completed.
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In a statement from Secretary for Energy, Elvis Thodi, issued on August 31, 2026 indicates that discussions are being finalised by the Ministry, Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM), Power Market Limited (PML) and Electricidade de Mozambique (EDM) on the tariff and other arrangements required to facilitate commercial power trading.
Thodi reports that the completed transmission line was energised on August 8, 2026, and that during the commissioning process, 5MW of electricity was imported from Mozambique for the purpose of testing and commissioning the commercial metering equipment from the source, Matambo Substation in Mozambique.
This marks an important milestone towards operationalising the MOMA 400KV electricity interconnector — a project that was launched in November 2021 and had been expected to be commissioned by end-of 2025.
The Ministry of Energy indicates that all construction works on the Malawian side of the interconnector were completed in February 2025 as earlier estimated.
However, commissioning of the complete interconnection was delayed by outstanding works on the Mozambican side, including the construction of the transmission line across the Zambezi River.
These works were suspended following a fatal workplace accident involving a worker during construction to allow relevant safety and safeguard measures to be reviewed and strengthened before works resumed.
Thus, upon completion of the remaining construction works on the Mozambican side — and in particular, the 400kV transmission line from Matambo Substation in Mozambique to Phombeya Substation in Malawi — the transmission line successfully hot-commissioned.
The Ministry contends that the processes on the tariff and other arrangements required to facilitate commercial power trading are important to ensure that electricity imports are undertaken in a safe, reliable, sustainable and commercially viable manner.
Once all the tariff discussions and other logistics have been satisfactorily concluded, the Ministry assures that it will communicate the commencement of commercial power trading and provide information on its official launch.
The MOMA Interconnector — launched by former President Lazarus Chakwera and his Mozambique counterpart Filipe Jacinto Nyusi at Phombeya Substation in Balaka — is a strategic project that will connect Malawi to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) through Mozambique to strengthen the country’s access to additional sources of electricity.
Realisation of this project translates to improved access to electricity supply in Malawi at 50MW at initial stage with some future potential to increase.
The objectives of the interconnection project is towards the economic growth of the region through sustainable power access by integrating Malawi electricity market to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) in order to balance power deficit through regional power trading.
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