The electricity supply systems in four indigenous communities are to be extended.
According to a GINA press release, the communities expected to benefit are St Cuthbert’s Mission in Region Four, Moraikobai in Region Five and Orealla and Siparuta in Region Six.As part of the Unserved Areas Electrification Programme (UAEP) which began in 2004, the four communities received electricity systems, using primarily diesel generation with mini grids, overhead transmission and distribution systems, the press release said.
Chief Executive Officer, Hinterland Electrification Inc, Horace Williams told GINA that the communities have expanded since then, hence the effort to extend the grid to supply more households.
“It is an expansion of the centre so to speak, he explained. “There are houses developed just outside of the central area…we think it is feasible to extend the grid to supply these new households. But the people who are still on the periphery would have to continue to use solar systems until such time that we find it economical to expand the grid to these households as well,” he said.
The press release also stated that over $100M is expected to be expended on the various projects which also cater for a similar expansion exercise in Lethem, Region Nine to supply the new Culvert City housing scheme with electricity.
“We have to extend the grid at Lethem to capture that area,” Williams said. He explained that, “It is a new housing scheme. I do not know how many house lots but they are empty at the moment, and we are waiting for electricity to be able to move into the areas, so that is why we are taking that initiative in terms of providing electricity in the areas,” he explained.
A total of 150 households are expected to benefit from these interventions.
