Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom), Malawi’s state-owned electricity utility, has launched a USD6.3 million project to replace ageing wooden transmission poles with prestressed concrete poles on two key transmission lines, to improve grid reliability and reduce power outages.
The project involves replacing wooden poles along the 32-km, 132 kV Nkula B–Phombeya No. 1 and 44-km, 66 kV Mapanga–Fundis Cross transmission lines. According to Escom, the existing infrastructure has become increasingly susceptible to faults and frequent maintenance due to ageing. The utility expects the use of prestressed concrete poles to improve the durability of the transmission network, enhance resilience to adverse weather conditions, and reduce long-term maintenance requirements, thereby strengthening the reliability and stability of electricity supply.