Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has said it is optimistic that the 132KV Eastern Backbone Transmission Line project will commence at the end of next year.
The €85 million project is currently within the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (Esia) phase, which is expected to be completed by November this year.
Escom acting Public Relations Manager Peter Kanjere disclosed this in an interview.
The project, which was unveiled in August last year, seeks to plant wooden poles along the 419.15-kilometre stretch which transmission line covers Nkhoma via Nanjoka, Nkhotakota, Dwangwa, Chintheche, Chinyama to Kanyika.
Kanjere said once the project is done, it will help enhance electricity access across the Central and Northern regions.
“If all goes according to plan, Escom anticipates having a contractor in place by later 2026. The entire construction phase is projected to take approximately two-and-a-half years from commencement,” Kanjere said.
The European Investment Bank and European Union-funded project is aimed at addressing blackout challenges in the Northern Region that come due to the falling of wooden poles.
Officials say this demands routine maintenance work.
Mzuzu Civil Society Network Chairperson Edward Kantuseya said people from the Northern Region were “eagerly” awaiting the rollout of the project.
“You will find that such projects are taking long to commence. We do not expect that in this project,” Kantuseya said.
According to Escom, Esia phase is at 20 percent, with initial reports under review.
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