EU funds €85 M Malawi transmission line
ESCOM will boost the reliability of power supply to the Central and Northern regions thanks to a significant funding commitment from the European Union.
Image for illustration purposes.
Malawi, Lilongwe: The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) Limited will boost the reliability of power supply to the Central and Northern regions thanks to a significant funding commitment from the European Union (EU). On July 29, 2024, the EU Ambassador to Malawi, Rune Skinnebach, signed an agreement with Malawi’s Minister of Finance, Simplex Chithyola Banda, to provide K174 billion (€85 million) for the Eastern Backbone Transmission Line project.
The EU’s funding includes a €55 million concessional loan from the European Investment Bank and a €30 million grant from the European Union. The Africa Development Bank will also invest in this critical infrastructure project. The project includes the rehabilitation of 52 kilometers of 132 kV transmission lines, replacing wooden poles with steel-latticed towers along the Nkhoma-Nanjoka-Nkhotakota to Chintheche route in Nkhata Bay, and the Nkhotakota-Chinyama-Kanyika line. Additionally, the Nanjoka Substation will undergo significant upgrades.
The transmission line will enable Malawi to import power from Tanzania and address local transmission issues in the Central and Northern regions. The current line, built in 1981, requires frequent maintenance due to its vulnerability to termite damage and adverse weather conditions.
Source: SolarQuarter
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