Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) Limited says the delivery of 12 primary containers for the 20 megawatts (MW) Battery Energy Storage System (Bess) on Tuesday is a major step towards easing power rationing. In a statement made available to The Nation, Escom said the containers, expected to be commissioned in February at its Kanengo project site in Lilongwe, have been funded by a $20.245 million (about K35.46 billion) grant from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet. Escom chief public relation and communications officer Pilirani Phiri said in a separate interview that the arrival of the units is crucial for stable and reliable power supply in the country.
He said: “We are saying this because the battery energy system is critical and among others, will help reduce black outs by storing energy during the day and discharging that during peak hours, in the evening and there will be no need for power rationing. “It will also help to stabilise solar power which fluctuates when the weather is cloudy.” According to the statement, Bess will serve three critical functions, including frequency regulation where it will act as a “shock absorber,” reacting within milliseconds to balance supply and demand. The system is also expected to stabilise the fluctuations of solar power from independent power producers (IPPs), ensuring that clouds or sunset do not lead to immediate power drops and reduce the need for load shedding.
Malawi’s installed generation capacity stands at 554.24MW, with 401.84MW of hydro, 101MW of solar and 51MW from diesel-powered generators. Electricity Generation Company has been generating about 350 MW of power which feeds into Escom national grid. The Bess project started in November 2024 and is expected to be commissioned in February 2026.
