The expansion of the East African regional energy sector is happening right now and is set for future growth. This was the clear message from the East Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (EA-ECS) as the two-day summit kicked off in Arusha.
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Africa’s energy IPPs, EPCF stakeholders, investors and policy makers were welcomed to a summit set to shape the future of East Africa’s energy landscape by Jean-Baptiste Havugimana, Director Productive Sectors, East African Community (EAC).
Speaking at the opening ceremony, he noted that the access to electricity in the East African region is currently below 50 percent on average, although countries such as Kenya have gone beyond 75 percent.
“The EAC Secretariat is cooperating with all Member States to increase the rate of access. This is being achieved through shared mini hydro power grids strategically placed along border regions. The EAC is also working to establish a regional power exchange market for shared resources,” said Mr.Havugimana.
Abundant resource discoveries and large-scale projects highlight East Africa’s readiness for market expansion like never before. In the round table titled “Powering East Africa—The Time Is Now,” leaders from the public sector and utilities from Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania discussed the vision and roadmap for the future.
Costa Rubagumya, Deputy MD, TANESCO, Tanzania said, “Our country connects an average of 500,000 new clients per year. But with Tanzania being among the 12 signatories of Mission 300, from the recent African Energy Summit, the country targets to triple the number to 1.6 million new customers per annum.”
With the theme “Resource Wealth. Energy Access. Investment Opportunities” the two-day summit will explore what this means for private sector opportunities in depth.
Some of the discussions expected to take center stage is the push for alternative sources of energy. Stakeholders have emphasized the importance of a diversified energy mix to ensure grid stability and support large-scale industrial expansion and commercial and industrial (C&I) power generation.
Joseph Siror , the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Power and Lighting (KPLC) said the East African countries should now move away from over dependency on Hydro sources of energy. He pointed out that, with climate change and fluctuating weather patterns, hydroelectricity is no longer reliable and the EAC region must now consider auxiliary power sources such as Geothermal, Solar, Wind and Biogas.
EA-ECS is welcoming prominent politicians and leaders from across the EAC and its energy sector. They join the private sector business developers shaping the future of East Africa’s energy landscape.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of EnergyNet Ltd..
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