By Burnett Munthali
The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) has expressed optimism that it will achieve its goal of connecting 180,000 people across the country to electricity.
This initiative is part of a five-year project that ESCOM is implementing in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy.
One of ESCOM’s senior officials, George Matukuta, told Zodiak Online that, so far, the corporation has already connected 82,000 people to electricity since the project began in 2020.
He made these remarks at PIM market in Chiradzulu District, where ESCOM is assisting people who have been struggling to get connected to electricity despite meeting all the necessary requirements.
Matukuta further explained that ESCOM has now started connecting people to electricity at a reduced fee of K17,500 to ease the financial burden that many applicants face.
He added that the reduced connection fee aims to ensure that customers gradually repay the costs by purchasing electricity units after their connection is completed.
This project is being implemented under the Ministry of Energy, with financial support from the World Bank, which is assisting in ensuring that more people have access to electricity affordably.
The expansion of electricity access is seen as a crucial step, especially considering that many people in both rural and urban areas have struggled to obtain electricity despite fulfilling all the requirements.
Through this initiative, ESCOM aims to provide more Malawians with the opportunity to use electricity for education, business, and improving their daily lives.
The corporation expects that by 2025, all 180,000 targeted beneficiaries will have been connected to electricity, significantly contributing to national economic development.
It is clear that ESCOM is making efforts to address the challenges that many people face in getting electricity, and this project appears to be making a positive impact.
Despite challenges such as shortages of materials and rising costs of infrastructure development, ESCOM remains committed to expanding electricity access to as many people as possible.
The introduction of an affordable connection fee has also helped individuals who previously could not afford electricity installation due to high costs.
ESCOM continues to work closely with the government and other supporting institutions in the energy sector to ensure that more Malawians benefit from electricity supply.
This initiative should be welcomed by all stakeholders, as it plays a vital role in improving livelihoods, boosting businesses, and driving national development.
