The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved an African Development Fund (ADF) grant of US$26 million to rehabilitate and expand the distribution networks in Juba, South Sudan, where only 1% of the population has access to grid electricity located chiefly in the three main cities.
A statement issued by the AfDB on Wednesday said the Power Distribution System Rehabilitation and Expansion Project aimed at providing reliable electricity supply from existing and future generation facilities and thus satisfying the suppressed load and demand growth in Juba.
It said the upgraded and reinforced electricity supply would contribute to improve the quality of service provided by the national utility; the quality of life of residents; and promote businesses, hence contributing to economic growth and poverty reduction in South Sudan.
The project consists of the construction of 145 kilometres of low-voltage 33 kV lines; 370 km of medium-voltage lines; the purchase and installation of 195 transformer stations; and 20,000 prepaid meters for connecting 20,000 new customers.
The statement said following the Board’s approval, the Director of the AfDB’s Energy, Environment and Climate Change Department, Alex Rugamba, explained that “the current situation of low level of power generation, coupled with inefficient distribution networks, has adversely affected living standards of the population and restrained business development.”
He said the project would contribute to reduce the inefficiencies of the network and increase electricity access in Juba.
