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Malawi, Mozambique

inaugurate construction on

218km power transmission line

ZIMBABWE MOZAMBIQUE and Malawi have inaugurated million consumers”, Nyusi said, as quoted by
a project to build a 218km electricity transmis- AIM. “These undertakings will benefit the devel-
sion line linking the two southern African states opment and the interests of our peoples.”
at a projected cost of $62mn. He added that the project will create jobs and
Funded by the World Bank, KFW of Ger- will “express the dream of the peoples of the two
many and the European Union, the project is countries to have reliable, good quality electric-
expected to create 1,000 jobs for Malawians and ity”, noting it should also stimulate investment in
Mozambicans. tourism and mechanisation.
India’s Larsen & Toubro will construct the Chakwera said the line will cushion his coun-
power line while Sinohydro and Sepco1 of China try against future power losses due to unfore-
were picked to build the substation. Electricity seen circumstances and assist in closing the gap
will come from the Cahora Bassa Dam in west- between power supply and demand, The Nyasa
ern Mozambique. Times reported on Thursday (April 21).
President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique and “This project is regarded as a regional project
his visiting Malawi counterpart, Lazarus Chakw- by SADC as it will also enable Malawi to connect
era, laid the foundation stone for the 400kilovolt to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and
interconnector at Matombo, in Mozambique’s trade in power in the region,” he said.
western province of Tete. “Therefore, this project is integral to the
The line, according to Mozambique national efforts of SAPP to debottleneck and expand the
news agency AIM on Thursday (April 21), will regional network; create conditions to expand
supply Malawi with 50MW of electricity. access to millions of people in the region living
The launch, said Nyusi, is a milestone that will without electricity; and decarbonise the SAPP
help make the two countries relevant actors in power systems, which are currently dominated
the Southern African Development Community by coal generation.”
(SADC) energy market. Chakwera, during his visit, also toured
Of the $62mn budget, $35mn is to build the Nacala, a Mozambican port that handles a size-
line from Matombo to the countries’ common able volume of his landlocked country’s exports
border in southern Malawi, 142km away. A and imports. The two countries signed three
sub-station will be built at Matombo as well for agreements - the Nacala Development Corri-
$21mn. The remainder constitutes the budget dor Agreement, the Railway Agreement and the
for the Malawi leg of the line, reports from both Road Transport Agreement - that he said will
countries say. boost their economic operations, according to
“In this way, we are strengthening the solid the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation.™
image of an economic bloc with more than 300

P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 17 28•April•2022