The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) says the amount of power it generates at three Shire River hydropower plants has fallen by 66% due to Lake Malawi’s declining water level, which has been blamed on erratic rains made worse by climate change.
According to reports by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, ESCOM first revealed the dramatic drop in water at its hydro plants in August. It now says water flow on the river, the country’s largest, is some 20% below what is needed to operate the Nkula, Tedzani and Kapichira turbines at their full combined capacity of 355MW.
"During peak hours we are losing 40MW and the daily average loss is 25MW," ESCOM spokeswoman Kitty Chingota said.
The Department of Energy noted fears that customers will compensate for a decrease in their electricity supply by turning to wood for fuel. Malawi’s forests are already disappearing at an alarming rate and the country loses between 1.6% and 2.8% of its forests every year. This shift could exacerbate Malawi’s power problems, as deforestation in Lake Malawi’s catchment areas may further reduce rainfall and, in turn, power generation.
This year, the southern African nation suffered a late start to the rainy season, followed by severe flooding in its southern half and then prolonged dry spells in many parts. The drop in hydropower is also hitting Malawi’s businesses. Maize production fell by around 30%, with the downturn in power production also hitting industries such as dairy and poultry farming. Dairy farmers are wasting milk as they cannot refrigerate it, while the incubation of eggs is being disturbed which poultry farmers fear may affect chicken supply at local levels.
The government is reported to be conducting feasibility studies on building new hydropower plants on other rivers across the country.
