Energy
Covid-19 haunts rural electrification project
September 15, 2020 / Wahard Betha
The Ministry of Energy says the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has negatively impacted on progress in the implementation of ongoing Extended Phase 8 of the Malawi Rural Electrification Project (MAREP).
MAREP is being implemented by the Malawi Government with an aim of transforming lives of people living in the rural and semi-urban areas by ensuring increased access to electricity.
Public Relations Officer for the Department of Energy Saidi Banda told Mining & Trade Review that Covid-19 has greatly affected the project as boarder restrictions that countries have imposed to curb the spread of the disease have disrupted supply chains for construction materials.
Banda said the Extended MAREP Phase 8 requires more construction materials following the increased number of sites in the phase but the Department could not manage to acquire the materials due the boarder restrictions.
He said: “In view of the extension, additional materials were procured. However, while the suppliers were in the process of delivering materials, various countries from which the materials were coming from effected lockdowns.”
“This led to a delayed delivery of materials which has affected the completion of construction works for extended MAREP Phase 8.”
“The delay in completion of construction works for extended MAREP Phase 8 has affected subsequent activities such as way leave and compensation; and material audit for the phase.”
Banda also said the covid-19 pandemic has failed the MAREP secretariat study tour and training.
He said the study tour was aimed at learning what other countries did when coming up with Rural Electrification Agencies which the Ministry is intending to establish.
Banda said the disruption has led to the sluggish progress on the establishment of Rural Electrification Agency.
“The Ministry carries out local and foreign capacity building training for the MAREP Secretariat which has been hugely affected by the covid-19 pandemic. Secretariat had sent to foreign trainings few officers whose training calendars were appearing before the effecting of lockdowns in the respective countries of training,” Banda said.
In the year 2020, the Ministry of Energy planned a number of activities including; construction of Extended MAREP Phase 8 power lines; MAREP sites impact assessment survey; data collection for formulation of concessions for MAREP sites from Phase 1 to Phase 8; design of high voltage and medium voltage overhead power lines for MAREP Phase 9; survey of overhead power lines routes for MAREP Phase 9 sites; procurement of construction materials for MAREP Phase 9; and procurement of construction contractors for MAREP Phase 9.
The Ministry also planned to conduct: Way leave assessment and Compensation for MAREP Phase 9 sites; construction of Natural Resources College (NRC) warehouse forecourt; procurement of forklifts for MAREP materials stores; connection of low income households to electricity under Ndawala Scheme; conducting study tour for establishment of Rural Electrification Agency.
Only three activities were completed, seven are in progress while the rest are to commence in the last quarter of the year.
Banda said the completed activities include: design of high voltage and medium voltage overhead power lines for MAREP Phase 9; procurement of forklifts for MAREP construction materials storage facilities; and procurement of additional materials under Extended MAREP Phase 8.
The activities in progress include: construction of Extended MAREP Phase 8 power lines; Technical Material Audit for Extended MAREP Phase 8 sites; way leave assessment and compensation for extended MAREP Phase 8 sites; way leave assessment and compensation for MAREP Phase 9 sites; survey of overhead power lines routes for MAREP Phase 9 sites; procurement of construction materials for sites under MAREP Phase 9; and delivery of additional materials under Extended MAREP Phase 8.
The Ministry introduced the Ndawala Scheme to ensure that low income households are connected to electricity.
“This is a scheme where low income households are given soft loans with no interest to wire their houses. The loan is recovered over time by deducting 40% from the units purchased by a beneficiary,” Banda said.
Government under MAREP has managed to electrify 1074 centres across the country including 849 in Phase 8. Government policy to achieve 30% of grid extension by year 2030.
Share this:
Leave a Comment
Comments
Mining & Trade Review News
Agribusiness News
Subscribe to Newsletter
Rehabilitation:
The establishment of a stable and self-sustaining ecosystem, but not necessarily the one that existed before mining began. In many cases, complete restoration may be impossible, but successful remediation, reclamation, and rehabilitation can result in the timely establishment of a functional ecosystem.
Archives
Remediation:
The cleanup of the contaminated area to safe levels by removing or isolating contaminants. At mine sites, remediation often consists of isolating contaminated material in pre-existing tailings storage facilities, capping tailings and waste rock stockpiles with clean topsoil, and collecting and treating any contaminated mine water if necessary.
Stakeholders Logos
