The Government of Malawi announced the awarding of the construction works of the electricity transmission line, which will link Mozambique to Malawi, from the province of Tete.
The announcement was made by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Energy of Malawi, Obile Kamoto Laly.
The contract was awarded to two companies and the first will be in charge of carrying out the work and the second will be responsible for supervision.
A spokeswoman for the Malawi Ministry of Energy, who did not give details, said the government would soon make a statement on the subsequent steps of the electricity interconnection project between the two countries.
The link to be made from the Matambo substation in Tete’s Marara district to Phombeya in Malawi’s Balaka district, comprises 218 kilometres of line, 145 of which in Mozambican territory and the 73 complementary in Malawian territory.
This project was conceived 23 years ago with the signing in 1998 of a memorandum between Mozambique and Malawi. However, various problems have delayed the interconnection.
With the announcement of the hiring of the contractor, Malawi will be for the first time connected to the cooperation congregation of national electricity companies in Southern Africa, under the auspices of the Southern African Development Community.
The works, which will consume about $130 million, will ensure the supply of 400 kilovolts of electricity, which will double from 11 to 22 percent, the capacity of electricity supply in Malawi.
Currently, Malawi’s electricity is provided by diesel and or charcoal generators, which produce only 367 megawatts of power, against 719MW, which the country needs.
