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With over 7.4GW of engine capacity installed across 45 countries, Helsinki-headquartered Wärtsilä reports progress on its own co-developed power projects in four sub-Saharan markets – Nigeria, Gabon, Mozambique and Malawi – as well as for a range of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) work for gas-to-power (GTP) schemes.

It is more than a whisper: international institutions and private equity (PE) investors are again exploring major hydroelectric power (HEP) deals, after years during which environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns made big dams a problematic issue for development finance institutions (DFI) and other potential investors.

President Lazarus Chakwera officially inaugurated the 20MW solar PV and battery energy storage system (Bess) plant at Golomoti in Dedza district on 6 June. Golomoti, which began operating in March, combines bifacial solar panels and a utility-scale 5MW/10MWh Bess.

Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has held talks with Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM) on more than doubling the amount of power to be supplied through the planned interconnection between the two countries.  

Malawi is enduring serious power shortages and frequent blackouts in the aftermath of January’s Storm Ana, which knocked out a 129.6MW unit at the Kapichira hydroelectric plant  (HEP), according to Electricity Generation Company of Malawi (Egenco).

Ongoing squabbles between backers of Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) and Power Market Limited (PML) have paralysed the development of the power sector in Malawi, according to developers. Although PML started operations in 2020 and nominally took over the single buyer role last year, Escom still controls the bulk transaction and stabilisation account for the sector, often referred to as the master accounts. This gives it a high level of de facto control over the sector, including offtake agreements.

The delayed signing of a power purchase agreement between Cedar Energy and Malawi’s regulator took place amid a gloomy atmosphere, with the developer saying its Muloza project is no longer economic. Wider problems in the energy sector have been symbolised by the resignation of the regulator’s board in February, serious power shortages and fuel price rises, writes Marc Howard

TSX Venture Exchange- and London AIM-listed Mkango Resources expects to develop a rare earth minerals separation plant in Puławy, Poland, with an offer to help secure financing from the European Raw Materials Alliance (Erma) and a venture with Polish chemicals company Grupa Azoty Puławy to process output from Mkango’s Songwe Hill deposit in south-east Malawi.

Norwegian development agency Norad will provide a NOK550m ($56m) grant over five years for the Nairobi-based African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI)’s Regional Liquidity Support Facility (RLSF). Norad will also become a partner for the facility’s restructured phase two.

Tropical storm Ana caused severe flooding, after making landfall in Mozambique on 24 January. Thousands were left homeless and dozens killed in Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique. Malawi’s power system has been devastated by flooding: Electricity Generation Company of Malawi (Egenco) said 271MW of generation capacity was lost from hydropower units at Nkula, Tedzani and Kapichira – around half the country’s 537MW total.

UK-based Solarcentury Africa and Renewable Energy Services Africa (Resa) have signed a joint development agreement for the 50MW Nkhoma Deka solar PV and battery project. The team has secured 150hr of land for the project in the Nkhoma area where Resa chief executive Stan Chikakuda grew up, he told African Energy.

The 75MWdc/60MWac Salima solar PV plant started commercial operations on 15 November, becoming the first solar independent power project in Malawi to connect to the grid and the first large international IPP developed under a new regulatory set-up.

President Lazarus Chakwera has warned independent power project (IPP) developers to push ahead with projects “or face consequences”. He was speaking at the official commissioning of the Salima solar PV plant on 15 November.

The Electricity Generation Company of Malawi (Egenco) signed a contract with China’s Chint on 28 October for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of the 10MW, first phase of the Salima solar PV project. A second phase will add a further 10MW. Egenco said it has secured enough land for up to 50MW.

Progress on solar PV projects could reduce Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom)’s reliance on emergency diesel generator sets, which remain the subject of controversy. African Energy understands that demand pressures mean Escom’s rental power deal with Aggreko Power Solutions was renewed for another year in mid-2021, but new solar PV capacity should come online in late 2021 and in 2022.