Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) has raised expectations for a more stable power supply following the commissioning of a 20MW/40MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a project the utility hopes will begin addressing the country’s chronic electricity shortfalls. “[The system] will be capturing excess power when demand is low and then inject it back into the system during peak hours especially during evening or early morning,” Phiri said. He was careful, however, to temper expectations of an immediate transformation in the country’s electricity supply. “The system does not end our electricity challenges overnight, end load shedding at once, but it is a giant step in power supply and demand management,” Phiri said. Battery storage systems of this kind have become an increasingly common tool for utilities grappling with intermittent generation capacity, allowing grid operators to smooth out the mismatch between when power is generated and when it is actually needed.