Outline of the Project

Project Name

Malawi Rural Electrification Promotion Project

Country

Malawi

Date R/D signed

May.30,2007

Project Site

Malawi whole country

Term of Cooperation

From 2006-12-1 To 2009-12-1

Implementing

Department of Energy, Ministry of Energy and Mines

Counterpart and related institutions

Department of Energy, Ministry of Energy and Mines

Background

Regarded as a policy for regional economic vitalization aimed at poverty reduction, rural electrification has been promoted in Malawi. However, the electrification rate of households in rural areas, where about 80% of the population lives, still remains less than 1%. Under the rural electrification program (MAREP) launched by the government in 1980, the former state-run Malawi Electric Power Corporation had implemented rural electrification projects aimed at the many small regional trading centers dispersed nationwide,mainly by the extension of power distribution lines. Since the structural reform in the electric power sector in 1995, the projects were transferred to the government, the Energy Bureau of the former Ministry of Mining, Natural Resources and Environment, although it had no practical experience of the projects with complete absence of a system of human and financial resources necessary for their implementation.

Since 1998, the JICA has provided assistance to Malawi's rural electrification project including debt relief grant support, the dispatch of experts to serve as long-term advisors the formulation of rural electrification master plans through development studies, installation of solar power generation facilities through grassroots grant aid,the dispatch of senior overseas volunteers for the operation and maintenance of solar power generation facilities, and training in Japan or third countries. This cooperation has resulted in solid improvements in the capacity of the Energy Bureau to formulate plans of rural electrification.

The Energy Bureau this time needed a stronger project implementation system for such activities as supervising distribution line extension projects, financial management of the rural electrification fund to be introduced based on the Rural Electrification Law, and technical supervision of the solar power generation system, and the government of Malawi requested the government of Japan to provide technical cooperation.

Goal and Purpose

Overall Goal : To improve the rate of household electrification through the extension of distribution lines and the expanded use of solar power generation systems.

Project Purpose : To improve the planning and implementation capacity of the Malawi Rural Electrification Program (MAREP).

Outputs

1. Improvement of technical capacity for the rural electrification project.
2. Improvement of contract management capacity for the rural electrification project through the 5th MAREP Project.
3. Improvement of technical capacity for the solar power generation system.
4. Improvement of the capacity to manage the rural electrification fund.
5. Improvement of the operations management capacity of the Rural Electrification Section of the Energy Bureau.

Project Activities

1. 1. Preparation of a field manual for socioeconomic studies.
   2. Implementation of socioeconomic studies for the Phase 6 planned site using the field manual (and revision of manual).
   3. Drafting of the annual rural electrification implementation plan based on MAREP.
   4. Implementation of a feasibility study using the feasibility study manual for power distribution line extension (and revision of manual).
   5. Preparation of a detailed design operations supervision manual.
   6. Supervision of detained design based on the detailed design operations supervision manual (and revision of manual).
   7. Preparation of a construction work supervision manual.
   8. Supervision of construction work based on construction work supervision manual (and revision of manual).
   9. Preparation of a work transfer inspection manual.
   10. Implementation of the 5th Electrification Project transfer inspection based on the work transfer inspection manual (and revision of manual).
   11. Preparation of power distribution line technical standards and installation standards,and supervision of the contract and work to which these standards apply.
   12. Implementation of a feasibility study of the micro hydroelectric power generation site confirmed by the master plan.
   13. Implementation of socioeconomic studies concerning electric power demand and the increase in electrical connections in newly electrified sites.
   14. Updating the database of the rural electrification master plan.
2. 1. Evaluation of contract concerning procurement of materials,detailed design and construction work.
   2. Procurement of materials for the 5th Electrification Project and improvement of bidding documents prepared for the purpose of procurement.
   3. Execution of contract for detailed design for the 5th Electrification Project site (and revision of contract).
   4. Implementation of an appropriate subcontracting agreement for the 5th Electrification Project (and revision of agreement).

Input Summary by Japanese Side

1. Dispatch of experts: Project manager/organizational administration,deputy project manager/rural electrification advisor,financial management, power distribution technology, solar power generation technology,micro hydroelectric power generation technology.
2. Training in Japan or third countries: Two persons every two weeks per year.
3. Provision of equipment: As necessary (equipment expected:4 desktop computers,2 laptop computers,3 printers,2 projectors,10 cabinets, 1 drafting software program, 1 solar power generation system inspection device,1 power distribution line inspection device)
4. Administrative expenses: Manual preparation expenses, seminar expenses, etc.
5. Dispatch of study teams: Administration guidance, final evaluation.

• Project Member