The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) Limited has heaped praise on its peri-Urban Electrification Project as a major step forward in expanding electricity access to the vulnerable communities and small-scale businesses across the country.
Fully funded and implemented by ESCOM, the project is currently underway in several districts across Malawi transforming lives by delivering electricity to previously underserved areas.
The project is part of ESCOM’s broader vision to achieve universal electricity access, contributing to economic empowerment and an improved quality of life for all Malawians.
For instance, a visit to ESCOM’s Bunda Zone in Lilongwe shows that the initiative is visibly making a difference to communities that were struggling to have their homes connected with electricity.
Olipa Rajah, a resident of Chipeni area in Lilongwe and one of the project’s beneficiaries, shared how her family used to struggle without power.
“I am appealing to my fellow community members to follow the connection procedures and get on board. This project is a real game changer for us,” said Rajah.
When contacted to comment on how the project is being implemented, ESCOM Chief Public Relations and Communications Officer Pilirani Phiri explained that the project is being executed in two key ways.
“The first is through the rehabilitation of existing networks and installing new transformers in areas within 500 meters of the national grid. Second, by extending electricity lines to communities located more than one kilometer from the grid,” said Phiri
Phiri emphasized that electricity is not only lighting homes but also unlocking opportunities for income generation and access to essential services.
“These efforts are closing critical access gaps. We are sure communities will register a reduction in security concerns at night and a rise in small business activity now that power is available,” said Phiri.
In Lilongwe’s ESCOM Bunda zone, the Peri-Urban Electrification Project is being implemented at over 20 sites in the Bunda Zone, including Bunda, Zamkutu, Bypass, Chipeni 1 & 2, Chiuzira, Area 38, Kanyandula, Six Miles, and Area 24, among others.