Washington DC Government Video Production: "Powering Malawi" Millennium Challenge Corporation Malawi
Channel: Dorst MediaWorks
Date: 2019-04-18

This is the story of Malawi’s power sector reforms and how it is spurring economic growth and poverty reduction by by improving the availability, reliability and quality of the power supply.

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Credits: Produced, directed, shot, written, edited by Dorst MediaWorks

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RESOURCES
https://www.mcc.gov
https://www.mcc.gov/where-we-work/program/malawi-compact
https://www.facebook.com/MCCgov/
https://twitter.com/mccgov
https://www.instagram.com/mccgov/

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TRANSCRIPT

Patrick Matanda, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy, and Mining: We have only 10 percent of our people accessing electricity, and that rate means that we also have very few companies accessing electricity. We also have challenges in attracting new investment, because then people would say, “There's no power in Malawi. Why should we go to Malawi?” 

Text: MCC’s $350.7 million compact was designed to reduce poverty by revitalizing Malawi’s power sector.

Text: It focused on the availability, reliability, and quality of the power supply, reducing the cost of doing business and expanding access to power.

Eunice Potani, Director of Economic Regulation, Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA): One of the major issues that was handled during this reform program was a review of the legal framework. And honestly, I think from this point, we have seen some tremendous changes. Our government is creating space to have private sector contribute to the investments in the energy sector.

William Liabunya, CEO, Electricity Generation Company: EGENCO is the generation company for the country. With the age of this power station, Nkula A, it had become so challenging to sustain it. The country started experiencing power shortages, which required investment in the generation. But as a country, we couldn't do that. The previous electricity law could also not allow private investment in the electricity generation sector. 

Patrick Matanda, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy, and Mining: We are happy that we have modern substations. We are happy that we have systems that will transmit our power.

Text: Malawi relies on hydropower for over 90% of its electricity. 

Text: For years, aquatic weed infestation and excessive sedimentation in the Shire River Basin caused costly disruptions in hydropower. 

Text: Today, new dredgers and weed harvesters are helping reduce chronic weed infestations and excessive sediment buildup

Eunice Potani, Director of Economic Regulation, Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA): One of the constraints that ESCOM has in the past few years is the issue of degradation of the environment along the catchment area.

Patrick Matanda, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy, and Mining: These weeds were causing problems in terms of the generation because they were clogging the generation system. And now, upstream, the harvesters are able to harvest the weeds, so they can't come downstream.

Chimwemwe Khonje, Senior SCADA Engineer: The system helps to improve power. The SCADA system presents to the control center real-time information. Because of this decisions are made faster.

Patrick Matanda, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy, and Mining: We are very grateful for the support that we’ve received from the American government.

Eunice Potani, Director of Economic Regulation, Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA):  The impact of this program is so huge.

William Liabunya, CEO, Electricity Generation Company: And with this, we believe that in the future, Malawi stands to benefit in its economy. That will create employment. We have industries up and running and producing in their full capacity.


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