The Power Africa East Africa Energy Program(EAEP) aims to expand affordable and reliable electricity services in East Africa with the ultimate goal of advancing inclusive economic growth, security, and improved outcomes in health and education.
OPTIMIZING POWER SUPPLY
Transmission networks in East African countries limit the ability of utilities and governments to efficiently deliver power from generation facilities to end users. Power Africa’s integrated approach helps partner countries optimize their power supply, increase access, and attract private sector investment that will boost their economies. EAEP focuses on:
• Bringing new renewable power generation capacity to financial close and unlocking stalled transactions to turn lights on
• Assisting partner governments with skills building and framework development to strengthen generation, transmission and distribution through strategic power planning,competitive procurement,and grid modernization
INCREASING GRID-BASED POWER CONNECTIONS
National utilities are challenged by the need to provide universal electrification while increasing revenue and performance. EAEP focuses on:
• Supporting utilities and rural-electrification agencies to procure and implement new technologies that increase the number of on-grid connections and reduce grid connection costs and timelines
• Improving planning and management of grid extension initiatives through geographic information systems (GIS) and enhanced data analysis
STRENGTHENING UTILITIES AND OTHER POWER-SECTOR ENTITIES
Utilities across East Africa often operate with limited resources and aging infrastructure. Technical and commercial losses eat away at revenues and restrict infrastructure upgrade investments that would benefit consumers. EAEP focuses on:
• Improving utility performance, cost recovery, and quality of service
• Reducing technical, commercial, and collection losses • Building capacity in advanced metering and smart-grid pilot projects to expand household access to electricity
• Developing and advocating for cost-reflective tariffs INCREASING REGIONAL POWER TRADE East Africa needs urgent support for priority power infrastructure, system capacity building, and cross-border energy trade that will enable countries to purchase more affordable surplus power from neighbors. EAEP focuses on:
• Working with host-country energy sector stakeholders and regional bodies like the Eastern Africa Power Pool and Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program to build the regional power market
• Harmonizing and strengthening member-state legal and regulatory frameworks for cross-border trade • Supporting high-priority regional power-infrastructure projects
CROSS-CUTTING ACTIVITIES Development Partner and Private Sector Coordination:
EAEP’s technical support maximizes multilateral bank investments, bilateral donor programs, and other funding for country and regional priorities. Additionally, EAEP supports Power Africa’s private sector engagement strategy by offering onthe-ground advisors and access to market intelligence.
Institutional Performance Improvement: EAEP prioritizes a partner-led approach while focusing on preparing and executing capacity-building strategies, as well as operational and coordination frameworks that support countries on their journey to self-reliance. Additionally, EAEP is supporting non-training interventions such as coaching, mentoring, and experiential learning.
Gender Equity: Power Africa continues to advance gender equity for end-users and in decision/ policy making by advocating for integration of more women into the energy workforce. Power Africa is empowering utilities to adopt and implement gender-equitable human resource practices and policies. Through the Women in Rwandan Energy (WIRE) initiative, Power Africa is working to bring 1,400 women into the fast-growing Rwandan energy sector. The initiative, also set to launch in Tanzania, aims to enhance employability prospects and build a network of qualified female energy sector workers.
Environmental and Social Safeguards: Power Africa ensures that all activities are conducted using appropriate environmental and social safeguards. Specific activities will include environmental assessment and reporting of generation and transmission transactions. Community Engagement: Power Africa continues to be a thought leader in developing utility, government, and private sector resources to support community engagement. Power Africa enables stakeholders to take community needs into account during project identification, feasibility analysis, and design. Through proper community engagement power projects will develop more expediently and with fewer financial delays.
Original source can be found here.