By Tembo Tembo

The Electricity Generation Company (Malawi) Limited (EGENCO) has announced that its diesel-powered generators — which are used to supplement hydropower production during periods of high demand or reduced water generation — have been severely affected by the ongoing diesel fuel shortages.

In a statement, the company said the scarcity of diesel has limited its ability to operate standby generators that play a key role in stabilizing the national electricity supply, particularly when hydropower output is low.

EGENCO further disclosed that the fuel shortage has come at a difficult time when two of its major hydropower units, Tedzani III Unit 5 and Nkula B Unit 5, are out of service due to technical faults, resulting in a combined loss of 51 megawatts from the national grid.

The company assured the public that efforts are underway to address the technical issues and restore normal generation capacity as soon as possible.