Minister Matola during the tour in Mwanza
* It will enable Malawi to sell excess energy to neighboring countries like Zambia, which faces 21-hour blackouts
* Once this project is finalised and starts operating, it will play a big part in boosting the mining industry which is also in line with the MW2063 agenda
By Victor Singano Jnr
Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola has expressed optimistic that the Mozambique-Malawi (MOMA) power interconnection will boost the mining industry and to fully align with the agriculture, tourism and mining (ATM) strategy which the government is advancing.
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The Minister said this during tour of the project in Mwanza and Balaka, organised by Electricity Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) alongside the media where they were appraised that the 50-megawatt power tapping project from Mozambique’s Tete region is progressing well.
It is set to be completed by December this on the Malawi side and Matola said: “This additional power will be added to the national grid, enabling Malawi to sell excess energy to neighboring countries like Zambia, which faces 21-hour blackouts.
“Once this project is finalised and starts operating, it will play a big part in boosting the mining industry which is also in line with the MW2063 agenda.”
Matola further applauded the project’s progress, citing compensation to over 1,000 affected individuals, including 49 standard houses, a school block, boreholes and a health centre.
He thanked President Lazarus Chakwera, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, funders from development partners and ESCOM for their support.
ESCOM Chief Operations Officer, Maxwell Mulimakwenda highlighted that the five-year deal between Malawi and Mozambique, will allow Malawi to tap 50 megawatts and sell excess power to other countries to gain foreign exchange.
“We are very excited that, despite challenges which include hard rock removal and community resistance, the project is progressing smoothly as all the challenges were addressed amicably,” he said.
The MOMA project is funded by Malawi government in partnership with development partners, World Bank, European Union and KfW.
Chakwera and Nyusi commissioning the MOMA power interconnection in 2021
The projected was launched in 2021 by President Lazarus Chakwera together with his Mozambican counterpart, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi at Phombeya in Balaka District which includes construction of 400KV Matambo substation in Tete, Mozambique and 218km of transmission lines from that source into Malawi.
The transmission lines will be 142km from Matambo substation and 76km into Malawi to Phombeya passing through Mwanza and Neno Districts.
The objectives of the interconnection project include to contribute 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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