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ESCOM Commences New Connections End December

 Corporation needs not less than K400, 000 to top up the customer's contribution of about K100, 000 for a single connection Corporation needs not less than K400, 000 to top up the customer's contribution of about K100, 000 for a single connection - file photo

The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) says it will start connecting new customers by the end of this December through a US$ 150 million secured from the World Bank.

ESCOM Public Relations Manager, Kitty Chingota has told Zodiak Online on Thursday that through the Malawi Electricity Access Project (MEAP), the Corporation will be connecting at least 60, 000 customers per year which is expected to clear the outstanding backlog of applications dating back from 2017.

Chingota says that financial challenges affected the availability of materials for the past years, adding that currently the Corporation needs not less than K400, 000 to top up the customer's contribution of about K100, 000 for a single connection.

"ESCOM has always had to source additional materials to enable a connection. So we have had that financial gap, but thanks to MAEP through this we have sourced funds from the World Bank and we should commence actual connections by the end of this month, December," Chingota assured.

Chairperson for some prospective ESCOM customers at Mawonga trade centre in Thyolo, Peter Matope says they have been waiting for the connections since 2017.

"It is very painful indeed because we have waited for a long time and up to date we have not yet been connected. It's unfortunate because one of us who applied for the electricity has died some few months. He has gone without seeing what he expected," Matope worried.

Ironically, on Thursday, Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola is quoted to have told Parliament that the power utility body will not be able to clear the backlog of applications soon.

This is also coming at a time when the citizenry is also subjected to electricity rationing and long hours of power outages due to limited electricity generation in the country. 

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