Page 11 - AfrElec Week 23 2022

AfrElec ACCESS TO POWER AfrElec

Access rate rises to 53% in

two years in Zimbabwe

ZIMBABWE ZIMBABWE’S electricity access rate for the reliable, sustainable and modern energy by 2030.
2020 population of 14.86mn was 53%, up from IRENA said the country’s total electricity rate in
46% in 2018, according to a local publication. 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015 was 34%, 36%, 39%
Citing a recent report, Tracking SDG 7: The and 34%.
Energy Progress Report 2022, by the Interna- The document says total final renewable
tional Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), energy consumption in 2019 in Zimbabwe was
state-owned The Herald said on Friday (June 82%. Access to clean cooking in 2020 was 30%
10), that 86% of those with access to power are in whereas energy efficiency in the same year was
urban areas while 14% are in rural areas. 10.5% more than double the global average of
The southern African country introduced a 4.7%. In the report it released on June 1, IRENA
rural electrification fund which is managed by said worldwide, 733mn people still have no
the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to imple- access to electricity and 2.4bn people still cook
ment projects to connect rural business centres, using fuels detrimental to their health and the
clinics, schools and homes in the countryside to environment. At the current rate of progress,
the national grid. 670mn people will remain without electricity by
REA, spokesperson, Johannes 2030—10mn more than projected last year.
Nyamayedenga told the daily that the entity is “Africa remains the least electrified in the
targeting to electrify 370 grid projects around the world with 568mn people without electricity
country in 2022 at an estimated cost of Z$2,5bn access,” the document says.
($6.9mn). “Sub-Saharan Africa’s share of the global
“So far, since January we have already com- population without electricity jumped to 77%
pleted 60 projects. Some are still in progress in in 2020 from 71% in 2018 whereas most other
various provinces,” he said. regions saw declines in their share of the access
Last year, the parastatal had targeted to elec- deficits. While 70mn people globally gained
trify 430 projects but completed 233. access to clean cooking fuels and technologies,
To date, REA has provided electricity to 59% this progress was not enough to keep pace with
of primary schools, 70% of secondary schools population growth, particularly in Sub-Saharan
and 85% of rural health centres in the country. Africa.”

A Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority con- South Africa, the continent’s most industri-
sultant told a mines conference recently that it alised country had an access rate of 84% in 2020
needs $300mn to electrify 305,000 domestic while in Zambia and Botswana it stood at 45%
consumers countrywide. and 72% respectively.™
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 7)
seeks to ensure global access to affordable,

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