JCM Matswani Solar Corp Limited is optimistic that it will start providing power to Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi(Escom) early next year.
The company entered into a Power Purchase Agreement(PPA) with Escom and the power from the project will be fed directly into the national grid.
Director of the Company in Malawi, Phylip Leferink disclosed this when the company in partnership with Total LandCare launched the Endowing Farming Families with Opportunities for Resilience and Transformation(Effort) project in Salima District.
Leferink said installation of the power plant in Salima has been delayed due to Covid-19 pandemic but, all things equal, the company will finalize everything in February 2021.
”The power plant is 60 Megawatts, which is about 20 percent of the total generation of Malawi once we are complete.We have a twenty year agreement with Escom so we supplying all the power we produce to Escom for twenty years.” he said.
As one way of giving back to the community surrounding the solar plant, JCM has given funding to Total LandCare to implement an agricultural programme aimed at boosting household food and nutrition.
Managing Director of Total LandCare Zwide Jere said the Effort project is aimed at contributing to the restoration and improvement of livelihoods of rural households in the area of group Village Headman Kanzimbe Traditional Authority Kalonga in Salima District in Malawi.
”We are trying to make sure that the communities are fully secure and we want to make sure that there is profitability of what they are farming.
Senior Chief Kalonga says the initiative will increase farm productivity in his area.
Source: Daily Times_August 26, 2020_by Faith Kadzanja