The first turbine and generator installed and awaiting commissioning, which will be carried out on completion of the interconnector to the National Grid at Mulanje

The Mulanje Hydro Limited (MHL) has expressed satisfaction with the progress made on the implementation the Ruo-Ndiza power project in Mulanje district. The US$16 million hydro project is expected to generate a total of 8.2 MW of electricity.

Managing Director for MHL Ian McKersie has disclosed that the first phase of the project will be completed by March 2019 and that they will be supplying the electricity to ESCOM through the national grid.

‘We are happy with the progress we have achieved so far. We started the implementation in June 2018 and according to our plan we would like to complete by December 2019. We have scheduled to commission the first power generating unit at Ndiza in March and the other unit at Ruo will be commissioned in August this year.’ Explained McKersie.

Mulanje Hydro Limited is one of the energy investors that were registered in 2017 alongside Haman Company limited by the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC). The company pledged to bring in US$25million investment through the hydro power project.

Meanwhile, Malawi Investment and Trade Centre says it is pleasing to note that the investor has made such progress in the implementation of the project.

‘As MITC we are happy that the investor has made tremendous progress in implementation of this electricity generation project. This will go a long way in mitigating the challenges that the energy sector is currently facing.’ Explained Deliby Chimbalu, Public Relations Manager for MITC.

The Ruo Ndiza power project is being implemented in Mulanje utilising the Ruo and Ndiza Rivers. The investor has already signed a Power Purchase Agreement with ESCOM and is hopeful that completion of the project will be by December 2019.