MALAWI’S GAPING NEED FOR A SMART GRID AMID COVID–19

Martgrid.gov describes the “grid” as a network of transmission lines, substations, transformers and more, that deliver electricity from the power plant to homes or businesses. In a case for Malawi, the grid is what one connects to when they plug any gadget to ESCOM power in their respective premises.

Figure 1: Illustration of a basic structure of an electricity grid in Malawi

What is a SMART Grid?

The “smart grid” on the other hand is an electric grid that uses information and communication technology (ICT) for SMART management of the grid to improve the communication, automation, control and connectivity of the various components of the power network. Some major elements of the smart grid are smart meters, renewable energy resources, and energy efficient resources. Smart meters and associated smart equipment permit electronic power conditioning and control of the production and distribution of electricity, over and above the two-way communication between the undertaker and consumer in real time or near real time. 

During the coronavirus pandemic, utility companies are under the obligation of ensuring that they continue operations, maintaining the electricity supply and critical services while not risking the wellbeing of their personnel and customers. The electric energy sector in Malawi is no exception in guaranteeing electric network reliability, availability, and efficiency at all times during this covid-19 pandemic. There is need, therefore, to have a grid that is self-diagnosing, self-healing, real-time, responsive, flexible, adaptive, price-smart, eco-sensitive and interconnected.

Our power network in Malawi is very wanting in terms of advancing to the smart status. Take northern region for instance, which is supplied by a single radial transmission network at 132KV that runs through Salima and Nkhotakota without any alternative route in the event of any system fault.

Figure 2: Malawi’s transmission network at 400KV and 132KV

The situation is so dire that even a simple fault like dislodging of a bolt anchoring a cross-arm for some power line structure would plunge the whole region into a blackout. Due to the unavailability of smart devices (or the availability of only “dumb” devices) to pin-point the exact location, it requires human involvement in the form of physically walking the line, including in the Nkhotakota wildlife reserve, in order to locate the exact point of fault before the reactive maintenance takes place to restore supply. Such scenarios present very long hours of power outages, sometimes up to more than 8 hours, because human beings have to travel long distances, sometimes as from as far as Mzuzu, for such functions.

A smart, self-diagnosing and above all, interconnected grid would ensure uninterrupted power supply and business continuity to areas like the region outlined above. One would argue that putting in place such smart systems would require huge capital investments. However, it is very evident that as a nation we are losing more money which evaporates into thin air due to these “dumb” power networks than what would be required if we invested in their “smart” counterparts.