World Bank’s Study On Affordable Electricity In Africa Debut In SA

The new World Bank study on how Africa’s electricity providers can be profitable and still make electricity affordable at African Utility is expected to be unveiled in Cape Town, South Africa from May 16-18, 2017.

The study which dwells mainly on the financial health of electricity utilities in Sub-Sahara Africa showed that “Rather than tariff increases, cost reductions are often the best first step towards financial viability”

Lucio Monari, Director, Energy and Extractive Global Practice at the World Bank, said of the study that, a central but under-reported issue on the movement to reach universal access is the financial health of electricity utilities.

“Less than half of utilities cover operating expenditures while several countries lose in excess of US$0.25 per kWh sold. In this context, it will be difficult for utilities to maintain existing assets, let alone facilitate the expansion needed to reach universal access goals,” said Monari