AfrElec: World Bank project connects 31,000 households to Malawi power grid since February

The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) from February to June connected nearly 31,000 households to the national grid under a World Bank-funded project, the Escom utility has said.

The $150mn Malawi Electricity Access Project (MEAP) aims to connect a total of 83,000 single-phase households by December 2023 and 180,000 by June 2024, contributing to the government’s efforts to increase electricity access in the southcentral African country.

“Escom is joyful now that we have connected, so far, slightly over 30,000 [30,914] direct services,” said Escom’s MEAP manager, McDivings Longwe.

“When we talk about direct services, we are distinguishing them from long services. Directs are those that do not involve any pole, while long services are the ones that involve the erection of poles and stringing of conductors.”

MEAP is designed to enhance access to electricity in a country with the lowest connection rate in southern Africa, at 12.4% as at May 2022, according to the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

If you would like to read more about the key events shaping the African energy sector, then please click here for NewsBase's AfrElec Monitor.