Botswana and Malawi cut power imports as local generation rises

Botswana’s electricity import bill is set to fall after a sharp rise in domestic generation in the first quarter of 2026. Local output jumped 72.8% to 901,903 MWh, driven by higher output from Morupule A and B power stations and a 9.1% contribution from new solar plants, reducing imports by 29.8% and cutting reliance on South Africa’s Eskom. The government also announced new solar projects and a 600 MW coal‑fired plant slated for 2027‑28.

In Malawi, the Energy Minister announced that the upcoming Mozambique‑Malawi (MoMa) power interconnector will add 50 MW to the grid, while a 20 MW battery energy storage system will store solar power to stabilise supply. These measures are expected to ease load‑shedding, improve reliability and support the country’s 554 MW installed capacity, which includes hydro, diesel and solar sources.