The World Bank today approved a $375 million International Development Association credit to support Ethiopia

Tigrai Online, March 5, 2018

The World Bank today approved a $375 million International Development Association credit to support Ethiopia achieve its universal electricity goal by 2025

The World Bank today approved a $375 million International Development Association (IDA)* credit to support Ethiopia’s goal of achieving universal electricity access by 2025.

Ethiopia has the second highest available generation capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa with nearly 100 percent coming from renewable energy generation (mostly hydropower), and vast and mainly untapped solar, wind, and geothermal clean energy resources. Over the past decade, the Government has launched one of the most successful electrification programs in Sub-Saharan Africa, expanding the grid network coverage to nearly 60 percent of towns and villages.

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Despite these major strides in the sector, the country still has the second largest energy access deficit in Sub-Saharan Africa (after Nigeria), and the third in the world. Household connections have not kept pace with network expansion: 70 percent of the population still lives in the dark, and only 24 percent of primary schools and 30 percent of health centers have access to electricity services.

In November 2017, Ethiopia, with support from the World Bank, launched its National Electrification Program (NEP) to strategically shift from infrastructure development to the delivery of adequate, reliable and affordable electricity services. The NEP is sustainable, transparent, and locally grounded electrification roadmap – driven by a customer centric approach. The program has the potential to leverage additional multi-donor financing and involvement in the sector.

Source: moderndiplomacy.eu Read more

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