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UAE-based Phanes Group announced on 20 December that the $67m Nkhotakota solar PV project had reached financial close. Initial site works have begun for the 46MW project, and partner responsAbility Renewable Energy Holding told African Energy that the $67m plant is scheduled to begin full commercial operations in September-October this year, with a 26MWdc/21MWac first phase online in March. The US Overseas Private Investment Corporation is providing the entirety of debt for the project.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining is set to tender for a strategic investor for a 350MW hydropower project to be developed at Mpatamanga Gorge on the Shire River in southern Malawi. A request for proposals is scheduled to be issued by year-end. The selected investor is expected to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to build, own and operate the power plant before transferring the asset to the government at the end of the concession period, the government’s transaction adviser, CrossBoundary Energy, told delegates at the Hydro 2019 conference in Porto on 14-16 October.

The World Bank Group (WBG) board on 17 September approved a $57m financing package for the Mozambique-Malawi Regional Interconnector Project, comprising a $42m grant for Mozambique and a $15m loan for Malawi from the International Development Association. The project involves construction of a 218km, 400kV double-circuit transmission line from Matambo substation in Tete Province, Mozambique, to Phombeya substation in Balaka District, Malawi. It will be Malawi’s first significant transmission interconnection and will allow it to trade on the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

The World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation is requesting expressions of interest from consultants to help the Electric Supply Company of Malawi (Escom) implement the results of a commercial loss reduction study. The consultant will develop a roadmap covering diagnostic work, a losses baseline, assessing and establishing commercial losses, assessing and establishing technical losses, and conducting a review of the regulatory framework. Submissions are due by 8 October. For more information see: https://wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org.

The 25MW Kanengo solar PV project being developed by Voltalia in Malawi has finalised negotiations with national utility Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) over a power purchase agreement. The document is expected to be initialled in the coming days before going to the regulator for approval, Voltalia told African Energy. African Energy mistakenly reported in Issue 397 that the project had been cancelled. Although there have been some delays due to issues around land, development is ongoing and negotiations with lenders are at an advanced stage, the company said.

The 40MW Nkhotakota solar photovoltaic (PV) project is “on the cusp” of reaching financial close, Phanes Group chief executive Martin Haupts told African Energy at the Africa Energy Forum in Lisbon. The project was awarded to Phanes Group, responsAbility, and Jakson Engineers India following a tender in 2017. Construction has begun at the 60MW Salima project, which was awarded through the same tender, although the 26MW Golomoti project has yet to close.

Electricity Generation Company (Malawi) Limited (Egenco) signed a contract with China’s NR Electric Company on 3 June to design, supply, install and commission 1.3MW of solar photovoltaic power on Likoma and Chizumulu islands in Lake Malawi. NR Electric Africa sales manager David Tu said the company would start work within two weeks of the signing date.“As you are aware, we generate electricity at the two islands using diesel.

The IFC InfraVentures project development fund signed a joint development agreement in mid-April with the government of Malawi to develop the 258MW Mpatamanga hydropower plant on the Shire River. The involvement of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) takes the project an important step forward and will be crucial in ensuring a successful independent power producer tender process, when the time comes. The final decision on when or if to do this and the conditions under which that will happen remains in the hands of the government.

Golomoti JCM Solar Corporation Ltd has issued a request for expressions of interest (EoIs) from engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operations and maintenance (O&M) contractors for the 20MW Golomoti solar photovoltaic (PV) project. Up to five bidders will be prequalified and invited to submit detailed proposals. One or two bidders will then be invited to conduct contract negotiations with the project owners, Canada’s JCM Power and InfraCo Africa Ltd, part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group.

Malawi is racing to reduce a supply deficit that could top 150MW next year. The country experienced a nationwide blackout in early March after the 130MW Kapichira and 36MW Nkula A hydropower plants had to be switched off to reduce the risk of damage due to flooding. Daily load-shedding has been made worse by a substantial reduction in water levels at Lake Malawi, which affects hydropower projects on the Shire River.

Electricity Generation Company of Malawi (Egenco) has invited expressions of interest by 7 March for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of a 10MWp scalable solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant, auxiliary equipment and associated works at Nanjoka in Salima district. The contract will entail the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the ground-mounted project, related civil works and the supply and installation of infrastructure to connect the plant to the Nanjoka substation in Salima, according to a tender notice published on 4 February.

A ground-breaking ceremony took place on 3 December marking the start of construction for the 60MWac Salima solar project being developed by JCM Power. “We will now work to prepare the ground, ready to install 230,000 solar panels after the rainy season and anticipate that Salima Solar will be delivering power to the grid by the end of 2019,” said JCM country director Phylip Leferink.

The Secretariat of the Songwe River Basin Commission, a bi-national entity set up by the governments of Malawi and Tanzania, has published a general procurement notice for transaction advisory services for the structuring and negotiation of the Lower Songwe dam and hydropower plant project, which is to be developed as a public-private partnership (PPP).

The rehabilitated Nkula A hydropower plant on the Shire River was commissioned in a ceremony on 1 November making the completion of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Malawi Compact. The successful rehabilitation of Nkula A was a major component of the compact. The plant was originally commissioned in 1966 and was no longer running at full capacity.

UK-based hydroelectric turbine manufacturer Gilkes Hydro has received an order from Mulanje Renewable Energy (MRE) for the supply and commissioning of two Pelton turbines and associated electromechanical equipment for the 6MW Ruo hydropower project in southern Malawi. Construction of the run-of-river project on the Ruo River at the foot of Mount Mulanje is set to start this month and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019, Gilkes’ head of sales for Africa, Andy Eaton, told African Energy.