Kamwamba power station is a 1,000 MW coal power station in Ntcheu, Malawi. It is operated by China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd [15%]; Government of Malawi [85%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 1.3 million homes (estimated). It ranks #2 of 10 Malawi power plants by installed capacity. In context, coal supplies about 0.0% of Malawi's electricity; the national grid averages 55 gCO₂/kWh (95.6% low-carbon) (2024).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GEM_coa_kamwamba_malaw.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: GEM GCPT; fuel: GEM GCPT
In context: how this plant compares
At 1,000 MW, Kamwamba power station is well above the median coal plant in Malawi (350 MW). Technically it is described as subcritical. Coal plants burn pulverised coal to raise high-pressure steam for a turbine; they run as baseload but are the most carbon-intensive mainstream source and the first targeted for retirement or efficiency retrofits.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of Malawi coal capacity
- 24.3% of 4,120 MW across 5 plants in this dataset
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest coal plants in Malawi
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd [15%]; Government of Malawi [85%].
Climate zone & how it works
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a humid subtropical (dry winter) climate (Köppen Cwa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 14.9°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Climate zone & typical temperatures: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid).
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #2 largest coal power plant of 5 in Malawi by capacity.
Malawi has 5 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 4,120 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Liwonde power station · Coal · 350 MW · Machinga
- Nkula · Hydro · 124 MW · Southern Region
- Tedzani Falls · Hydro · 121 MW · Southern Region
- Chichiri (Blantyre) · Gas · 15.5 MW · Southern Region
- Nchalo Mill · Biomass · 10 MW · Southern Region
- Kapichira · Hydro · 130 MW · Southern Region
Location
Coordinates -14.95, 34.783333 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Kamwamba power station?
Kamwamba power station is a 1,000 MW coal power plant in Ntcheu, Malawi, Announced 2030.
Who operates Kamwamba power station?
Kamwamba power station is operated by China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd [15%]; Government of Malawi [85%].