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The initiative will assist the East African country in reaching its 2030 renewable energy ambitions Eritrea is to roll out three major mini-grid projects – under the Desert to Power framework – aimed at providing a stable electricity supply to more than 200,000 people. The mini-grids are expected to generate 12MW of electricity across the regions of Teseney (6MW), Kerekebet (3MW), and Barentu (3MW). The mini-grids project will be implemented by the national Ministry of Energy, the Eritrea Electricity Corporation (EEC) and local companies. And will fall under the supervision and guidance of a design and engineering technical consulting firm to be contracted. The project is expected to provide improved energy access to more than 235,000 Eritreans, 20% of them women and youth. Beneficiaries will include residential households, small-scale farms, agro-processing zones and water supply systems. The project will additionally benefit more than 160 schools and 90 health centres in the Gash Barka region. To build local capacity and ensure project sustainability, 25 local companies will be trained and equipped with tools and machinery. The details of the project was revealed subsequent to a 10 March signing ceremony. Mini-grids funding agreement signed between Eritrea, AfDB The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) confirmed that it had signed the agreement with Eritrea for $19.5 million in grant funding for the Desert to Power Eritrea 12MW Mini Grid Project. Eritrea’s Minister of Finance and National Development, who is also the Bank Group Governor for the country, Dr Ghiorghish Teklemichae, signed on behalf of his government. The Bank Group’s Deputy Director General for East Africa, Dr Léandre Bassole, represented the institution. “The financing, to be sourced from the Bank Group’s Transitional Support Facility (TSF), will support the rollout of mini-grids that will generate 12MW of electricity across the regions of Teseney (6MW), Kerekebet (3MW), and Barentu (3MW),” said the AfDB. “Capacity building and knowledge transfer are critical to the success of the project’s implementation,” said Bassole said. |
