By Abdi Ali
Published August 26, 2017
A United States of American government initiative aimed at doubling access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa has released its annual report.
The 2017 report by the agency known as Power Africa that comprises more than 150 public and private sector partners who have committed more than US$54 billion towards achieving Power Africa’s goals of increasing installed generation capacity in sub-Saharan Africa by 30,000 megawatts (MW) and adding 60 million new electricity connections by 2030.
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The report also shows how the initiative is laying the foundation for what it describes as ‘sustainable economic growth in Africa while creating opportunities for American businesses’.
Said to be among the world’s largest public-private partnerships (PPP) in development history, Power Africa reports that it has ‘facilitated the financial close of power transactions expected to generate more than 7,200 MW of power in sub-Saharan Africa.’
Saying it has since its inception in 2013 concluded 80 transactions whose financing agreements are valued at more than US$14.5 billion, the agency says its projects have generated more than US$500 million in US exports. Additionally, Power Africa says it has facilitated more than 10 million electrical connections which have brought electricity to more than 50 million Africans for the first time.
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Not to be forgotten or glossed over in the report is the role of women in Africa’s power sector.
In a Press Statement issued by US Agency for International Development (USAid), Power Africa says it shall over the next year “work with more than 100 US companies, African partners, other donors, and the private sector to harness the technology, ingenuity, and political will necessary to bring the benefits of modern energy to even remote parts of Africa while promoting economic growth.”
The initiative, Power Africa says, will also “expand beyond its initial focus on solar lanterns and renewable energy to support more on-grid power projects in natural gas and other sources.”