ELECTRICITY

CHAPTER 73:01
ELECTRICITY

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

PART I
PRELIMINARY

    1.    Short title

    2.    Interpretation

PART II
LICENCES

    3.    Electricity supply activities to be carried on under licence

    4.    Licensees to hold only one type of licence

    5.    Applications for licences

    6.    Mode and procedure of application for licence

    7.    Criteria for consideration of application for licence

    8.    Incomplete premises

    9.    Conditions of a licence

    10.    Amendment or revocation of licences

    11.    Breach of conditions of licence

    12.    Duration and renewal of licences

    13.    Transfer of licence

    14.    Rural electrification licensees

    15.    Register of licences

PART III
TARIFFS

    16.    Licensees to charge only approved tariffs

    17.    Public hearing before tariff revision

    18.    Criteria for granting or revising tariffs

PART IV
TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, SYSTEM AND MARKET OPERATOR AND SINGLE BUYER LICENSEE

    19.    Transmission licence

    20.    Duties and functions of a transmission licensee and a distribution licensee

    20A.    Duties and functions of system and market operation licensee

    20B.    Duties and functions of single buyer licensee

    21.    Power sales and purchase contracts

    22.    Import and export of power

    23.    Wheeling of power

    24.    Third party access

    25.    Load Dispatch Centre

    26.    Functions and reports of the Load Dispatch Centre

PART V
SYSTEM OPERATION

    27.    Requirements of the Load Dispatch Centre

    28.    Transmission or distribution licensee not to own a generation station

    29.    Transmission or distribution licensee to conduct operations in accordance with Grid Code

    30.    Generators to sell power to single buyer

PART VI
DISTRIBUTION

    31.    Duties of distributor

    32.    Delays in supply

    33.    Standby supply

    34.    Customers’ installation testing

    35.    Interference with licensee’s system

PART VII
INSPECTION, ACCIDENTS, INQUIRIES AND INVESTIGATIONS

    36.    Entry and inspection of premises

    37.    Licensee to report accidents

    38.    Inquiries and investigations

PART VIII
RIGHTS OVER LAND

    39.    Wayleaves over land

    40.    Right of entry on land

    41.    Trees or buildings interfering with electricity supply and equipment

    42.    Breaking up of streets

    43.    Licensees’ equipment not part of the land

    44.    Compensation for damage caused by licensee

PART IX
OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

    45.    Offences

    46.    

PART X
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

    47.    Consumer and customer education brochure

    48.    Resolution of disputes by the Authority

    49.    Service of notice

    50.    Distribution licensee may discontinue supply for non-payment, etc.

    51.    Right of appeal to the High Court

    52.    By-laws, rules, codes and guidelines

    53.    Repeal and savings

22 of 2004
12 of 2016
19 of 2024 G.N. 39/2007

    An Act to make provisions for the regulation of the generation, transmission, wheeling distribution, sale, importation and exportation, use and safety of electricity and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto

PART I
PRELIMINARY

1.    Short title

    This Act may be cited as the Electricity Act.

2.    Interpretation

    In this Act unless the context otherwise requires—

    “Authority” means the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority established under section 3 of the Energy Regulation Act.

    “average selling price” means the weighted average of the price paid by the single buyer in its contracts with generators, imports and any other supply obtained by the single buyer;

    “bulk consumer” means a consumer that is allowed to buy electricity directly from a generator;

    “case of emergency” with reference to a right of entry on or to land or premises conferred under this Act, means a case in which the person requiring entry to the land or premises in question has reasonable cause to believe that circumstances exist which are likely to endanger life or property, and that immediate entry to such land or premises is necessary to verify the existence of the circumstances or to ascertain the cause or to effect a remedy;

    “consumer” means a person using electricity;

    “contract of supply” means a contract between the operator of an electricity undertaking and any other person for the supply of electricity to that person;

    “customer” means a person purchasing electricity;

    “distribution” means the conveyance of electricity at less than 66,000 volts, or as may be prescribed by notice in the Gazette, from the transmission grid to customers through a distribution power system, and the terms “distribute” and “distributing” have corresponding meanings;

    “distributor” means a person distributing electricity;

    “distribution line” means any cable underground or overhead line for the distribution or reticulation of electricity from an electricity undertaking to a customer, together with any transformers, switchgear or other works necessary to, and used in connexion with, such cable underground or overhead line, and the buildings or such part thereof as may be required to accommodate…