Malawi, Mozambique to sign energy deal in December

Malawi and Mozambique are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding – MOU – on power interconnection to enable Malawi to start tapping electricity from Maputo.

Minister of Energy and Mines Dr Cassim Chilumpha told the media that government has since proposed December 12 as the date to sign the agreement in Tete, Mozambique.

Dr Chilumpha said Lilongwe wrote Maputo proposing that the agreement be signed mid December to facilitate the power tapping process.

“Malawi is expecting for a response from Mozambique on the proposed date,” said Dr Chilumpha in an interview.

He said all paper work is set for the country to start tapping power from the former Portuguese colony.

In June the two countries drafted guidelines towards the rolling out of the transfer of electricity from Mozambique’s Cahora Bassa hydroelectric plant into Malawi.

Prior to this, Heads of State for two countries agreed in May to revive plans for Mozambique to begin supplying electric power to Malawi.

Despite being initiated some years ago, the deal faced a stumbling block when Malawi’s former president late Bingu wa Mutharika refused to put pen to paper arguing that the costs outweighed the benefits.