The country-wide power blackout on Saturday and Sunday would last for 14 hours for residential and certain industrial users, according to the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM).
This is due to the power supply being reduced by 100 and 135 megawatts on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, due to the shutdown of Nkula B Power Station on Saturday and both Nkula A and B Power Station on Sunday for emergency repair work.
“Consequently, 176MW will be available on Saturday and 140MW on Sunday for ESCOM to supply essential services comprising referral hospitals and water pumping stations among others,” ESCOM said in its statement yesterday.
The trash-raking equipment at the Nkula B intake is submerged, and attempts to remove it without shutting down the station have failed miserably, according to a statement made by Electricity Generation Company, EGENCO, yesterday.
Divers will consequently go underwater to remove the jammed trash rake, check the intake screens, and fix any damaged screens as part of the removal process.
Following the damage at the Kapichira Power Station in January of this year, Malawians already have access to at least six hours of electricity every day.