Kehua Digital Energy has supplied its energy storage solutions for a 20MW/40MWh BESS project in Lilongwe, Malawi, the system achieving grid connection in May and being officially commissioned in July. The project marks a significant milestone in Malawi’s energy infrastructure development and energy transition journey. As the country’s first standalone utility-scale BESS and the largest in Southern Africa, the project enhances grid stability and operational flexibility by providing essential grid support functions, including frequency regulation and black start capability. The deployment demonstrates the increasing role of utility-scale energy storage in strengthening power system resilience and supporting the integration of renewable energy.
As power systems worldwide continue to evolve toward higher renewable penetration, grid stability challenges are becoming increasingly complex. In addition to conventional grid-support applications, Kehua is actively advancing grid-forming (GFM) energy storage technologies to address future power system needs.
The company’s grid-forming BESS solutions are designed to enable battery systems to actively support grid voltage and frequency stability, improve renewable energy integration and enhance the resilience of future power networks. These advanced capabilities are expected to play an increasingly important role in renewable-dominated grids and next-generation energy systems.
For the Malawi project, Kehua supplied its power conversion systems (PCS) with grid-forming function and battery container solutions, supporting the project’s requirements for efficient energy conversion and reliable utility-scale energy storage. JIVO Energy acted as turnkey EPC contractor, leading the overall project execution and delivery.
The successful commissioning of the Kanengo BESS reflects the strong collaboration between the Government of Malawi, ESCOM, JIVO Energy, Kehua Digital Energy and other stakeholders, whose collective commitment contributed to the delivery of this landmark project.
Project Highlights
| Category | Details |
| Project | Malawi Frequency Regulation Battery Energy Storage System |
| Location | Malawi |
| System Capacity | 20MW / 40MWh |
| Commissioning Time | 24 July 2026 |
| Application | Frequency Regulation & Black Start Capability |
| Kehua Scope EPC Contractor | Grid-foming PCS, Battery Container Solutions, Installation Support, Commissioning Support, Technical Training JIVO Energy — Turnkey EPC delivery, including engineering, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning |
| Project Significance | Malawi’s First Standalone Utility-Scale BESS |
