The government of Rwanda has secured $150 million from the World Bank to fund projects aimed at improving access to modern energy for households, enterprises, and public institutions in the country.

Development Diaries learnt that $75 million will be provided as grant funding, and $75 will be provided as a loan.

The bank said in a statement that the Rwanda Energy Access and Quality Improvement Project (EAQIP) will advance the country’s progress towards achieving UN sustainable development goal 7 (SDG7).

The Rwanda EAQIP aims to improve electricity access by providing funding for the country’s ongoing programme of expanding grid connections for residential, commercial, industrial, and public sector consumers, as well as by providing grants to reduce the costs of off-grid solar home systems.

The project will also enhance the availability and efficiency of low-cost renewable energy by restoring capacity at the Ntaruka Hydro-Power Project, reducing voltage fluctuations on transmission lines, and supporting the national smart meter programme.

World Bank Country Manager for Rwanda, Rolande Pryce, said that the proposed project was well-timed to build on the bank’s support to the government’s energy sector agenda.

‘It will contribute directly to Rwanda’s push toward universal energy access by 2024 and universal access to clean cooking by 2030’, Pryce said.

The project is part of the Rwanda Universal Energy Access Programme (RUEAP) which coordinates the efforts of development partners supporting the energy sector to contribute to the achievement of the targets set out in the national strategy for transformation.

Source: World Bank

Photo source: Paul Kagame