An agreement was recently reached for the implementation of the Mpatamanga hydroelectric power plant project. The deal was signed under Malawi’s Public-Private Partnership framework, between Scatec, and Electricités de France (EDF). Additionally, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Government of Malawi were also a part of the deal.
The agreement awarded the role of the Mpatamanga hydroelectric power plant project lead developer to a consortium of Scatec and EDF. Consequently, it puts to an end the government’s process to select a private sector partner. The partner would reportedly finance, build and operate the facility.
For a couple of years, the IFC supported the Malawian government in the project’s initial phase. The activities which enabled the Malawian government to commence the bidding process were also supported by the Washington, D.C.-based financial institution.
All hands on deck for the implementation of the project
Scatec, EDF, IFC, and the GoM will work with all stakeholders in a bid to support the Mpatamanga hydroelectric power plant project implementation. The partners will build on EDF’s and Scatec’s track record in the development of hydropower projects across the globe. Moreover, the development will align with IFC’s environmental and social standards.
As it stands, IFC owns a 15 percent stake in the project. The remainder of the shares is divided between Malawi with 30 %, EDF with 27.5% as well as Scatec with 14%. The British International Investment (BII) and Norwegian Norfund are the financial partners of the Mpatamanga hydroelectric power plant project. They are therefore expected to have a 13.5% stake.
Mpatamanga hydroelectric power plant project overview
The Mpatamanga hydroelectric power plant is a 350MW run-of-the-river hydroelectric power plant planned for construction in the Blantyre district of Malawi. The project site lies at Mpatamanga Gorge on the Shire River, downstream of Malawi Lake. It is between two existing hydropower plants, Tedzani and Kapichira.
The facility will comprise two cascade dams. The main dam will be a 45m-high concrete face rockfill dam (CFRD) with an adjacent gated spillway at the right abutment. It will thus create a 22km-long reservoir occupying a 19km2 surface area. The reservoir on the other hand will have a water storage capacity of up to 216 million cubic meters (mcm).
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Moreover, the project will involve the construction of two diversion tunnels and a high-pressure penstock. The latter will help transfer the Shire River water to the ground powerhouse. The powerhouse is located approximately 800m downstream of the main dam. It will be equipped with a total of six Francis turbines with a combined capacity of 309MW.
Furthermore, the Mpatamanga hydroelectric power plant will have a regulating dam approximately 6km downstream of the main dam. The regulating dam will allow storing of the peak inflows from the main reservoir. Along the dam, will be another powerhouse of 41MW installed capacity. The main dam and the regulating dam will be connected through a new 132kV double-circuit power transmission line.
The electricity generated from the Mpatamanga hydroelectric power plant will be evacuated through a 400kV double-circuit power transmission line. The power line will be connected to the existing Phombeya electrical substation which is approximately 64km away.
Summary
Name: Mpatamanga Hydroelectric/Mpatamanga Power Plant Project
Type: Run-of-the-river cascade hydroelectric facility
Location: Blantyre, Malawi
Capacity: 350MW
Construction: 2021-2025
Cost: At least US$ 850M
Reported earlier
May 2019
Malawi signs US $150m deal for Mpatamanga power project
The government of Malawi has signed a US $150m deal for the construction of the Mpatamanga hydroelectric power plant in southern Malawi.
The deal was signed with IFC InfraVentures, an investment fund of the World Bank Group. The financial institution will reportedly be responsible for all decisions relating to the development of the hydroelectric project.
The project is also being supported by SN Power, a company based in Oslo, Norway. Power Africa, a company that invests in numerous energy projects in Africa is also behind the project. Additionally, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) is also supporting the Mpatamanga hydroelectric power project implementation.
