The Millenium Challenge Account (MCA) Malawi, an arm of US federal agency Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), has awarded a $7.5-million contract for the design, installation and commissioning of the supervisory control and data acquisition (Scada) system at the Electricity Supply Corporation (Escom) of Malawi to French firm Alstom Grid.
Serious ChallengesThe contract is part of MCC’s $350-million five-year energy compact’s Infrastructure Development Project for Malawi.
The contract, to be implemented in 32 months, is aimed at boosting Malawi’s electricity transmission network, which is plagued by serious challenges.
“The Scada system will assist engineers in real-time monitoring, planning and optimisation of Escom’s transmission systems spread over the country. “The system will ensure that Escom has a reliable and cost-efficient operation of the power system,” says an Escom official.
The project will also entail the provision of energy management software for the supervision and optimisation of the power system in Malawi.
Alstom commercial manager Benoit Pradairol says the company will ensure that the work is completed on schedule.
The US provided the $350-million compact grant for Malawi to address the country’s power woes after studies had concluded that intermittent power supply was one of the major problems hampering investment in Malawi.