Rural Electrification

IT Power has been working on the design, development and implementation of rural electrification projects since the 1980s. These projects include off-grid renewable and hybrid systems as well as grid extension. IT Power looks to select the most appropriate technology for the local environment.

IT Power has been involved in electrification projects in China, Senegal, Uganda, Fiji, FSM, RMI, Nauru, Mongolia, Tanzania, Australia, Zambia, India, South Africa and Morocco. IT Power plays an active role in the promotion of private sector participation in rural electrification. The company carries out extensive consultation with electricity companies, private sector and financial institutions to deliberate and partner in the rural electrification process.

Recent projects include:

PV installed at Zereg Soum Centre in Mongolia as part of
an ADB funded project electrifying Soums

Preparation of an Indicative Rural Electrification Masterplan

The project has developed a master plan for the electrification of rural areas in Uganda. The initial phase involved the collation of information on the current status of power supply and generation capacity in Uganda. Priority rural areas have been identified and further surveys of these areas have been carried out to establish the needs of the people. The information obtained from these surveys was used to develop a strategy for the development and extension of on-grid and off-grid electrical supply. Generation sources and supply have been assessed along with the capacity and ability to service and operate systems. Future demand assessment was carried out along with long term strategies for the classification and progression of rural electrification. Capacity of organisations to forward the master plan was strengthened to ensure the long term sustainable approach to the electrification of rural areas in Uganda.

Promotion of Private Sector Participation in Rural Electrification Concessions in Senegal

The project aimed to identify national and international companies that could be interested in the rural electrification programme and to carry out awareness raising and promotional actions in order to inform these companies of all the new business and investment opportunities arising from the implementation of a concessions approach for the rural electrification programme. The overall objective was to maximise the participation of the private sector in the rural electrification programme and ensure its interest in the call for tenders for the concessions to be launched by the Rural Electrification Agency.

The work included:

• Mobilisation of candidates for the call for tenders for the concessions (Preparation of promotional materials, including summary note on investment opportunities, contacts and interviews with companies in Senegal and abroad, production of a report on feedback received from companies on the government incentives proposed, production of a candidate's tender pack for the call for expression of interest, etc.)
• Organisation of a workshop to disseminate information on the rural electrification concessions programme and facilitate private sector participation and partnership formation.
• Risk analysis (Identification of risks in rural electrification programmes and investments, identification of risks for the private sector and the government, recommendations for risk mitigation).
• Promotion of the participation of small private businesses and rural associations in smaller scale rural electrification projects focusing on remote areas. Identifying the possibilities for local stakeholder participation and project initiation by local authorities and organised groups such as agricultural co-operatives.
• Advice to the Chinese Village Electrification Programme (SDDC)
• Song Dian Dao Cun (SDDC) is the proposed Chinese village electrification programme to deliver electricity to the remaining 20 million people without electricity in rural areas in China. The programme follows the Township electrification programme. The aim of this project is to ensure that the SDDC is sustainable by reviewing and recommending ways forward for electrification in terms of design, delivery, operation and maintenance, ownership and tariff setting. The project designed a programme for Xinjiang province.
  IT Power provided advice to the programme on the best ways forward and with examples on electrification in other countries.