By Burnett Munthali
LILONGWE — Malawi is stepping up efforts to end persistent electricity blackouts, with Energy Minister Jean Mathanga expressing confidence that power supply will significantly improve by December as new equipment, repairs and electricity imports from Mozambique strengthen the national grid.
Mathanga said the government is working around the clock to restore generating capacity, with critical machine spare parts expected to arrive this month and additional electricity from Mozambique set to provide further support.
Speaking on Nation Online’s No Excuses programme, the minister said shortages of spare parts had previously slowed the repair of generating machinery but that measures were now underway to address the challenge.
“We are working round the clock so that issues of blackouts should end,” Mathanga said.
Spare parts expected to boost generation
The recovery programme comes as Malawi works to close the gap between electricity supply and national demand.
EGENCO reported in August that the country was generating about 370 megawatts (MW) against demand of more than 450MW.
The government expects the arrival of new spare parts and the restoration of damaged generating units to increase available power.
The Reserve Bank of Malawi allocated foreign exchange in July to facilitate the procurement of the required equipment, which is being manufactured abroad.
EGENCO expects full generating capacity to be restored by the end of September, providing an important boost to the national electricity system.
Nkula repairs offer additional relief
A major focus of the recovery effort is the repair of a 20MW unit at Nkula B, which developed a technical fault on August 7.
The damaged generator bearing components require specialised repairs at the original manufacturer’s workshop in South Africa.
The unit is expected to return to operation during the first week of October, adding further capacity to the national grid.
Other generating units are also undergoing interventions to improve their performance.
At Nkula A, Units 1 to 3 are currently producing a combined 24MW against an installed capacity of 35MW because of worn turbine shaft seals.
At Tedzani, Units 5 and 6 have also been operating below capacity following damage associated with debris from Cyclone Ana in 2022.
Mozambique power link to add 50MW
Malawi is also preparing to benefit from the Mozambique–Malawi power interconnection project, which could provide another important boost to electricity availability.
Mathanga said the project reached a major milestone after successful hot commissioning on August 8, 2026.
The interconnection is expected to initially deliver approximately 50MW to Malawi’s national grid, with the possibility of increasing imports in the future.
Mathanga said construction on the Malawian side was completed in February, while remaining discussions focus on commercial arrangements with Mozambique.
Government targets more reliable electricity
The planned interventions come as Malawi seeks to reduce its heavy dependence on hydropower.
More than 80 percent of the country’s electricity is generated from hydropower stations along the Shire River, including Nkula, Tedzani and Kapichira.
Mathanga said the government recognises the importance of diversifying electricity generation as climate change creates additional pressure on hydropower resources.
For households and businesses in Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba and Mzuzu, the combination of repaired generating units, new spare parts and imported electricity offers the prospect of improved power reliability.
With EGENCO targeting restoration of generating capacity by the end of September and Mozambique expected to contribute additional electricity, the government is now working towards its broader goal of bringing Malawi’s blackout crisis under control by December 2026.
