World Bank approves $350m grant for Malawi hydropower project

26 May 2025 - 09:40 By Frank Phiri
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Malawi's Mpatamanga Hydropower Storage Project will help supply electricity to more than 1-million new households and create thousands of jobs, says the World Bank. Stock photo.
Malawi's Mpatamanga Hydropower Storage Project will help supply electricity to more than 1-million new households and create thousands of jobs, says the World Bank. Stock photo.
Image: 123rf

The World Bank's board of directors has approved a $350m (R6.25bn) grant to support a large hydropower storage project in Malawi that will significantly increase the Southern African country's generation capacity.

The World Bank said in a statement earlier this month that the Mpatamanga Hydropower Storage Project would help supply electricity to over 1-million new households and create thousands of jobs.

The public-private partnership with an expected overall cost of over $1.5bn (R26.79bn) will represent the largest foreign direct investment in Malawi's history.

In September 2022 the Malawian government selected a consortium consisting of Electricité de France and SN Malawi BV owned by British International Investment, Norfund and TotalEnergies to lead the project's development and implementation.

The project will have a total generation capacity of 358 megawatts, doubling Malawi's installed hydropower capacity by building two dams along the Shire River between two existing hydropower facilities, according to its website.

Reuters


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.