The Electricity Corporation of Malawi(Escom) says it needs 600 transformers, 450 of which must be installed ”immediately and balance be on standby”.
According to Escom, most of the transformers have been damaged due to vandalism, with transformers and power copper wires becoming some of the sought-after items.
Escom Chief Executive Officer Kamkwamba Kumwenda told The Daily Times that, before devaluation of the Kwacha, the price of a single transformer was pegged at K8 million.
”Escom needs to source funds for these transformers. We will engage the suppliers to agree on the payments modalities since we are in a critical situation,” Kumwenda said.
According to him, the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority has given ”no objection” for the power supplier to procure 300 transformers.
”The challenge is the forex scarcity. We should get delivery of some transformers in July,” he said.
Kumwenda has since pleaded with citizens to be patriotic by safeguarding Escom infrastructure, describing vandalizing as suicide.
Several areas across the country, mostly in remote areas, are living in the dark after transformers blew up or got damaged due to other reasons that Escom linked to vandalism.
During the last meeting of parliament, some members of parliament expressed concern over persistent blackouts in their constituencies. a problem the corporation attributed to rampant vandalism.
On November 11 this year, Mangochi South Member of Parliament indicated that three transformers that blew up in January in her constituency were yet to be replaced.
Lat month, Escom indicated that it needed 395 transformers to restore power in 20,000 establishments.
In March, Energy Minister Ibrahim Matola said, by then, Escom would need K2 billion to replace 250 transformers.
Source: The Daily Times_May 31, 2022_By Mathews Kasanda