On September 17th, 2020, the Executive Board of the World Bank approved $150 million for Rwanda. This consists of a $75 million grant and a $75 million loan for the implementation of the Rwanda Energy Access and Quality Improvement Project (EAQIP).
Under the EAQIP, the Government of Rwanda plans to expand grid connections for residential, commercial, industrial, and public customers. The government also plans to subsidize the deployment of off-grid solar systems. It will also increase access to an efficiency of low-cost renewable energy in the country by restoring the generating capacity of the Ntakura hydropower plant, reducing voltage variations on transmission lines, and supporting the national smart meter installation program.
Support from the Clean Cooking Fund (CCF)
According to the World Bank, these various initiatives will provide 2.15 million people with access to “reliable, sustainable, modern and affordable” electricity. EAQIP will also help reduce Rwanda’s dependence on polluting cooking fuels by 50 per cent. The Rwandan government hopes to provide universal access to electricity by 2024 and to clean cooking fuels by 2030.
At least an additional $20 million will be injected into the EAQIP project through the Clean Cooking Technologies Fund (CCF), hosted by the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (Esmap). This additional funding consists of a $10 million grant and a $10 million loan. According to the World Bank, CCF plans to mobilize $30 million in public and private investment as part of the Rwanda Energy Access and Quality Improvement Project.
Inès Magoum