Burkina Faso Desert Tender

Project SummaryApproval Date 15 Sep 2021Signature Date 29 Sep 2021Planned Completion Date 31 Dec 2026Sovereign Non-Sovereign SovereignSector PowerDAC Sector Code 23630Environmental Category 2Commitment U.A 50000000Status ImplementationProject General DescriptionThe Electrification and Power Connection Development Project PEDECEL is an investment project in keeping with the Burkinabe Governments vision of achieving access to power for all by 2030 and with the Banks Desert to Power Initiative aimed at harnessing solar potential in eleven 11 Sahel countries including Burkina Faso to facilitate the achievement of the power-for-all objective. Burkina Fasos power access rate is one of the lowest in the West African subregion. At the end of 2020 the national rate was 22.5 compared with an average sub-regional rate of 40. The Government of Burkina Faso has set itself the target of achieving a national power access rate of 60 by 2027 with 90 in urban areas and at least 30 in rural areas. The experience of recent power projects has revealed that the payment of connection charges is a serious impediment to the connection of low-income households to the grid. This project is not only in line with the objective of expanding the distribution grid but will also remove that obstacle. The estimated project cost is UA 115.5 million and will be co-financed by ADF SEFA EIB BADEA POWER AFRICA WAEP the Government and SONABEL. The project implementation period will be 51 months from October 2021 to December 2025.Project ObjectivesPEDECEL will expand the power distribution grid to facilitate the populations access to quality electricity in several peri-urban and rural localities in 10 of Burkina Fasos administrative regions. The other 3 regions have already been covered by the Yeleen1 Solar Power Plant Development and National Power Grid Reinforcement Project approved by the Bank in 2019. More specifically the project will result in the connection of 218400 new households to the power grid using an innovative system that will defer payment of subscription fees which restrict access to electricity for most of the countrys population.BeneficiariesThe projects direct beneficiaries will be SONABEL the Burkina Faso government and the 218400 new customers who will be more easily connected to the power grid by initially paying only XOF 3000 instead of an average XOF 140000. The remaining connection charges will be paid in monthly instalments over 3 years. The project will also benefit the entire population living in the localities covered estimated at approximately 528000 i.e. about 1528800 people who will benefit directly of whom 790390 women 51.7. Through the distribution grid expansion these persons will benefit from improved quality of services provided by basic social and public establishments local governments health centres schools and training workshops etc. and stree