The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) is inviting bids for the supply and installation of eight new substations and the expansion and rehabilitation of five existing substations.
Escom procurement specialist Jack Thabwa says the assignment, to be executed in 16 months, will be financed by the World Bank’s International Development Association as part of Malawi’s $85-million Energy Sector Support Project.
Bid documents are obtainable on the submission of a written application and payment of a nonrefundable fee of $250. The deadline for the submission of bids is April 22.
Malawi is implementing several projects to develop its power sector and ensure uninterrupted supply of power in the country, which experiences blackouts, owing to generation constraints resulting from environmental problems such as siltation on the Shire river.
Besides other projects, the country, which sources up to 98% of its power from power plants located on the Shire river, is rehabilitating the ageing Nkula A power plant, as well as expanding and modernising its transmission infrastructure using proceeds from a $350-million grant obtained from US’s the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
Malawi is reforming its energy sector to incorporate independent power producers (IPPs) that are intent on building coal-fired, solar and hydropower plants.
The process to incorporate IPPs has seen the Malawi government liberalise the power pricing system, which has resulted in electricity tariffs being adjusted upwards.
Malawi’s installed electricity capacity stands at 351 MW, compared with peak demand of 350 MW. Demand is, however, growing rapidly, owing to new mining projects being developed by international investors.