* We are proud of this milestone, which demonstrates ESCOM’s unwavering commitment to expanding access to electricity and improving the quality of life for Malawians
* Surpassing our target ahead of schedule is a clear indication that we are on the right path toward achieving universal access to electricity—CEO Kamkwamba Kumwenda
By Duncan Mlanjira
As of Friday, October 3, 2025, Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) Limited successfully connected a total of 180,752 households to electricity through the Malawi Electricity Access Project (MEAP) — surpassing the initial target of 180,000 connections that was set for December 2025.
Advertisement
A statement from ESCOM takes note that the remarkable milestone has been achieved two months ahead of schedule and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kamkwamba Kumwenda has since commended the dedication and hard work of the project teams and all stakeholders involved in the successful implementation of the MEAP.
“We are proud of this milestone, which demonstrates ESCOM’s unwavering commitment to expanding access to electricity and improving the quality of life for Malawians.
“Surpassing our target ahead of schedule is a clear indication that we are on the right path toward achieving universal access to electricity,” Kumwenda is quoted as saying in the statement.
He further reaffirmed ESCOM’s commitment to continue connecting more potential customers before the project’s conclusion in December 2025: “We will continue to extend our services to more households and light up additional communities.
“Electricity access is central to national development, and our efforts under MEAP form a critical part of that transformation,” Kumwenda said.
CEO Kamkwamba Kumwenda
MEAP is being implemented by ESCOM with support from the World Bank and the Government of Malawi — which aims to increase access to electricity across the country, thereby contributing significantly to Malawi’s socio-economic growth and development.
Meanwhile, ESCOM is yet to meet the deadline it set and announced in July by CEO Kumwenda that the Malawi/Mozambique Power Interconnector project is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2025 to import 50 megawatts (MW) into the national grid.
Kumwenda disclosed that the project was in the final stages on the Malawi side with major construction works, including of transmission towers, completed — just waiting for the Mozambique side to complete their part.
He described the initiative as ESCOM’s flagship project mark the beginning of the end of blackouts interconnection will unlock 120 megawatts of import capacity for Malawi — starting with the 50 megawatts as a start.
Advertisement
“Complimenting this project will be the Zambia/Malawi as well as the Tanzania/Malawi power interconnector projects that we also will be implementing,” Kumwenda said in July.
Following the unbundling reform process — that culminated into the creation of Energy Generation Company (EGENCO) as a standout company — ESCOM no longer generates electricity but builds, owns, maintains and operates transmission and distribution assets, sells electricity to its customers, is a system and market operator as well as a single buyer for the entire power sector.
And as a single buyer, ESCOM has gone flat-out courting and signing business deals with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) “to boost our capacity to transmit and distribute power to customers all day, every day”.
