Malawi Faces Continued Power Cuts Amid Shortfall in Electricity Supply
By: Malawi24
Malawians should brace for continued power outages this week as the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) implements scheduled load shedding due to a shortfall in electricity generation.
The utility company announced that power cuts will occur during morning, midday, and evening peak hours in order to balance the national grid and ensure equitable distribution of electricity across the country.
According to ESCOM, total generation capacity currently stands at 461.93 megawatts (MW) during the day and 374.25 MW at night, while national demand is projected to peak at 414.83 MW during the evening. The gap between supply and demand has made scheduled load shedding unavoidable.
ESCOM warned that cloudy and overcast weather conditions could reduce output from solar plants operated by Independent Power Producers (IPPs), which supplement the national electricity supply. If solar generation drops significantly, unplanned outages may occur.
The corporation emphasized that no region or customer group will be unfairly targeted, and assured the public that load shedding will be applied fairly across all areas. ESCOM also encouraged consumers to use electricity efficiently, particularly during peak hours, by switching off non-essential appliances to ease pressure on the grid.
In its statement, ESCOM apologized for the inconvenience caused and thanked customers for their understanding and cooperation. The utility reaffirmed its commitment to stabilizing power supply and improving reliability as generation levels recover. Plans are underway to increase generation capacity and reduce reliance on weather-dependent sources.
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