- Rwanda and DRC firms to scale mini-grid.
- The project anticipates delivering around 3,330 connections to low-income consumers in DRC and 2,500 in Rwanda
InfraCo Africa, part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), has signed an agreement with Equatorial Power (EP), committing $1.7 million to scale the company’s innovative mini-grid model in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.
The project will see the companies co-develop four new mini-grids and four agri-processing hubs (APHs) on Idjwi Island, DRC, followed by four more solar mini-grids and three APHs in southeast Rwanda. This will provide smaller businesses with access to electricity, create jobs directly and through the local supply chain, and support SDG 8.
Ranging in size from 60kW to 85kW, the new mini-grids will incorporate battery storage to manage fluctuating sunshine during the countries’ rainy seasons. The project anticipates delivering around 3,330 connections to low-income consumers in DRC and 2,500 in Rwanda, providing over 35,000 people with clean energy access by 2023, supporting SDG 7 and SDG 13.