The post-election conflict in some parts of Mozambique is delaying the delivery of the Malawi-Mozambique electricity interconnection.

Previously scheduled for June this year, delivery will not take place until next October, according to the operations director of ESCOM, the company that distributes electricity in Malawi, quoted by Rádio Moçambique.

Maxwell Mulimakwenda, said that the June 2025 target is unlikely because the works in Mozambique are three months behind schedule.

According to the official, on the Malawian side, the work is nearing completion and will be commissioned by the end of March.

Malawi reversed its previous plan to absorb 120 megawatts of energy due to a lack of funds, as the operation would cost the country around 10 million dollars a month.

Thus, in the first five years, Malawi will only be able to consume 50MW, which corresponds to around 4.5 million dollars per month.

The project includes the construction of a 218-kilometer, 400-kilovolt high-voltage transmission line to supply around 50 MW to Malawi's national electricity grid.

The power interconnector is one of the projects that should improve the local energy shortage, as Malawi will probably not be able to reach its target of 1000 MW by 2025.

Currently, Malawi has a total installed capacity of 554.24 MW of energy, of which 101 MW are from alternative sources, according to ESCOM.

In November 2021, Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera and former Mozambican statesman Filipe Nyusi presided over the launch of the construction works for the power interconnector transmission line in Tete province. (Source: RM)