Page 7 - Energize January 2021

INDUSTRY NEWS

Tackling the challenge of electrifying

60 000 houses in Africa

Information from Eya Bantu

t has been estimated that more than a Massive rural project success
billion people world-wide lack access to A recently completed project provides electricity to a rural community of 60 000 homes
affordable, reliable, grid-connected in Uganda.
Ielectricity. Of these, over 600-million live Eya Bantu’s Naas Burger, together with a team of about 80 specialists, managed the
in Africa. Although we often hear about the massive rural electrification scheme recently.
need to ensure that electricity is available to Working in cooperation with German energy consultancy, GOPA Intec, which had been
everyone, a concept referred to as contracted by the Ugandan government, South African energy experts Eya Bantu
“universal access”, the status quo remains. responded to the government’s need to supply rural homes with electricity.
One South African company which is Dubbed “Energy for rural transformation phase three (ERT III)”, the Ugandan
working hard to address this pressing government’s project entailed the construction and installation of a 33 kV (MV) distribution
need is Eya Bantu. Even the company’s network with distribution transformers to the routing of 400 V (LV) lines.
name reflects its desire to provide power The project, which was funded by the World Bank, was designed and executed by
to everyone, for in English it means Eya Bantu in cooperation with the internationally renowned consultancy GOPA Intec.
“Power for the people”. Furthermore, the Eya Bantu’s role was to provide cabling and wiring from the 33 kV substation to the
company’s stated mission is to uplift, various distribution transformers and beyond.
develop and empower local communities. The project called for many preliminary steps such as interviewing every resident
With projects all over Southern Africa along a 2000 km corridor where electrical cables were to be strung. This meant speaking
and beyond, Eya Bantu is a truly to the tens of thousands of people who could be potentially affected by the installation of
international local company. This firm of an electrical network across their properties; ensuring that no environmental damage
consultants has offices in Bloemfontein, resulted from the installations; and calculating compensation for those families whose
Cape Town, East London, George, Port homes may have had to be relocated or negatively impacted by the installation of this
Elizabeth, and Lusaka. new electrical infrastructure.

Introducing the project to the Mukono community Contractor installing a distribution transformer

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