A rural village in Zambia is about to benefit from a mini hydro power station.

Located in the North Western province’s Mwinilunga district, on the Kasanjiku river, the recently constructed 64 kW project was undertaken by the nation’s Rural Electrification Authority (REA) at a cost of US$8.6 million. The station will provide enough energy to electrify 11 schools, a hospital, four health centres, a local court and the residence of the village’s traditional leader.

‘It is going to improve the quality of life for over 12 000 people,’ says REA corporate affairs manager Justin Mukosa. He adds that it also highlights the ‘massive potential that lies in the northern region of Zambia for electricity generation using mini hydro technology’.

The Kasanjiku project forms part of the government’s Rural Electrification Master Plan, which aims to increase access to electricity in rural areas from 3.1% (2006) to 51% by 2030. As of 2017, the electricity access rate in rural areas stood at 4.4% for grid power and 7.4% for solar power.

22 October 2019
Image: – Rural Electrification Authority (Zambia)