ESMAP’s work on energy access, including activities implemented by the World Bank regional energy units and those funded by AFREA, have influenced financing; informed countries policies and strategies; increased client capacities; and generated innovative approaches in the developing world.
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Rwanda and Kenya: Development of Energy Access Plans
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The ESMAP-supported activity, “Implementing the Action Plan for Energy Access Scale-Up in Africa” has not only informed the design of World Bank-financed energy access projects, but has also been instrumental in mobilizing US$400 million and US$1.5 billion to implement energy access programs in Rwanda and Kenya respectively.
The activity encompasses a number of interventions, including the development of a sector-wide approach (SWAp) to scale-up electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa. The SWAp approach implies that it is government-led; it is underpinned by a policy and institutional reform program; targets improved reliability, connectivity and supply; and has a fully funded investment program.
As a result of this activity, ESMAP assisted Rwanda and Kenya in development of comprehensive, sector-wide electricity access plans with short-term investments prospectuses. The access plans were developed using new, innovative planning tools, including geospatial access planning and a least-cost financing model.
The activity was instrumental in mobilizing funding from the development community. At a donor round table held on March 23, 2009, in Kigali. Partners and sector institutions pledged contributions totaling US$228 million to implement the ESMAP-proposed five-year energy access program for Rwanda. The World Bank supported the plan implementation through the financing of the Electricity Access Scale-up and Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) Development Project. The project, although still under implementation, has more than doubled household connections and is on track to reaching a target of 350,000 connections by 2014. Similarly in Kenya, the prospectus was presented on October 22, 2009 at a donor conference where development partners confirmed funding of US$1.5 billion to finance the Program.
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