Escom to avert blackouts, trains staff

The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom)says it lost K2.2 billion during last year's flooding which left a 20 day black out. [caption id="attachment_105155" align="alignright" width="150"] Sitolo: K2.2bn lost[/caption] [caption id="attachment_105154" align="alignright" width="534"] Expect reduced blackout: Kandulu (second from left)[/caption] Escom official Everson Sitolo said this in Mangochi at the end of a month long disaster recovery plan and business continuity plan. He  said during last year's flooding, generating machines were submerged putting off power for 20 days. The Escom official said in view of the massive loss, the state controlled power generating company decided to hire a consultant who has trained 140 members of staff on how to deal with such a situation when it arises. CEO for Escom John Kandulu hailed the training saying it will greatly reduce power black outs. Escom customers, who make up 10 percent of the 17 million population, should expect frequent and prolonged power outages would  decrease. Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) president Newton Kambala, is on record saying in times of frequent and prolonged electricity blackouts, companies experience huge loses. Escom has since requested its customers to use energy sparingly by, among other things, using energy efficient lamps and shifting most of the cooking to off peak periods. According to the MCCCI Business Climate Survey 2015, electricity continues to be one of the greatest obstacles to doing business in the count