The Rural Electrification Authority – REA has revealed that they plan to electrify about 15,195 households in the current year 2023. This marks a huge milestone in making electricity available to rural folks, a key catalyst for driving sustainable local development.
REA Chief Executive Officer – CEO Eng. Linus Chanda said a total of K1.97 billion which include the committed funds and other funds coming from cooperating partners is currently available for the 2023 projects.
Speaking during the 2023 work plan monitored by the Zambian Business Times –ZBT – Eng. Chanda, said about K362 million representing 43.6% of REA’s 2023 capital budget, has been allocated to grid development projects which include grid extension, grid intensification and grid densification. He said this allocation will translate into sixty-two new projects (62) targeting sixty-five (65) rural growth centres, which will in turn result in at least 12,000 connections.
Eng. Chanda remarked that that k190, 800,000 representing 23.8% of REA’s 2023 budget, has been allocated towards off-grid renewable energy projects. He explained that this represents 23.8% of REA’s 2023 budget. “under this budget allocation, we hope to complete (18) solar mini grids; 120 high powered solar home systems; one (1) biogas project; and one (1) wind power project. The completion of these projects will result into a further addition of 2,453 connections.”
He added that k15,310,000) have been allocated towards special collaboration projects which include electrification of maheba refugee camp in solwezi, electrification of chiefdoms in itezhi-tezhi and electrification of matanda village in luapula province.
Eng. Chanda said collectively, once all these projects are completed, fifteen thousand one hundred ninety five (15,195) rural households will be electrified. “This will represent 10% cumulative increment on the access rate putting us on firm direction towards our 2026 target.”
Speaking in a separate interview REA Corporate Affairs Manager Justine Mukosa said the commencement of implementation of these various projects depends on the completion of the tendering and other process. Mukosa told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT – that a lot of these projects are currently on the procurement stage in terms of tendering.
