STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED BY ESCOM

There are a number of strategies being implemented by ESCOM Transmission to ensure improved quality power supply. Some of these include:

• Improved design of structures to ensure reliable delivery of power to customers such as use of vandal proof bolts on steel towers to deter unscrewing of tower members and use of steel poles as opposed to lattice steel structures.
• Engaging traditional leaders in fighting vandalism, working with the police, civil education to the public, regular line inspections, bush clearing to create fire barriers through local communities and fumigation of wood structures with anti-termite chemicals.

Recent and Current Projects

FIBRE OPTIC COMMUNICATION

ESCOM has been using power line carrier (PLC) on its network. This involves the use of transmission lines for transmission of communication signals. However, with today’s need to transmit a lot of data associated with digital systems, PLC systems which served well for analogue systems are inadequate, hence the need to use optic fibre cables.

Bundle of optical s.

An optical fibre is a thin, transparent (see figure), usually made of glass or plastic, for transmitting light. Optics is the branch of applied science and engineering Advantages of fibre optic communication over electrical transmission or copper wire communication Its exceptionally low loss, allowing long distances between amplifiers or repeaters Its inherently high data-carrying capacity, such that thousands of electrical links would be required to replace a single high bandwidth Cables experience effectively no crosstalk,when run alongside each other for long distances, in contrast to some types of communication like copper wire communication.

Optic fibre project in Malawi

In order to improve control and protection of ESCOM installations, ESCOM decided to embark on fibre optic installation project along its transmission infrastructure. However ESCOM alone can not exhaust the capacity of this installation hence other users will benefit from the project by buying the extral capacity. Through the sale of extra capacity ESCOM will realize extra revenue from power transmission lines.

Fibre optic installation along ESCOM transmission is in progress and Figure 4 shows fibre installation routes to date and other routes where fibre optic is yet to be installed. It is envisaged that ESCOM will own and maintain fibre optic installations along transmission lines i.e. between transmission substations and let another operator link will end users from the terminal equipment near the substations i.e. “Retail Last Mile Operator” for the Optic Communication Network.

ESCOM Fibre Optic Project overview

— ——	F.O. Cable constructed F.O. Cable to be constructed