By Nick Allen, Vice President, NRECA International
We are working hand-in-hand with Weza Power, a private electricity distribution company in Burundi, to plan and implement an ambitious electrification expansion plan across the whole country. Only 2 million out of Burundi’s 14 million people have access to electricity, and service is concentrated in densely populated, urban areas. We are developing geospatial electrification expansion plans, investment plans, and distribution standards and operational guidelines to inform Weza Power how to expand electricity service to almost 70% of rural Burundi within the next decade.
As of 2024, Burundi continues to be designated as a Least Developed Country by the United Nations. The significance of helping a country shift its economic status from decades-long status quo is not new to us. We operate from a strong foundation using tested technology, tools and processes, and experience we have honed for more than six decades.
Power Shift
The U.S. government has pulled back its funding for global rural electrification programs, and we are adapting to continue fulfilling our mission. We are re-examining and redoubling our efforts to seek and support scalable, proven electrification solutions. The number of people without power access has not shifted significantly since I began my career in rural electrification in 2006 — more than 600 million people worldwide still lack electricity in rural Sub-Saharan Africa. And the final stretch to reach the “last mile” populations in this region remains the hardest to reach, and the costliest.
The complexities and often high costs of implementing rural electrification programs make it hard for governments to make the best decisions to achieve their electrification and economic goals. To address this, it is becoming increasingly more important for us to form new partnerships, adopt new work models and keep the communities we serve as our ultimate clients.
Our work in the early ’70s carved a path towards rural transformation for the people in Bangladesh, Bolivia and the Philippines, driven primarily by the electric cooperative model. This has now been further refined in the last two decades working with African utilities and ministries to create implementable electrification plans, strategies and geospatial resources.
Shared Commitment for Sustainable Impact
We’ve built partnerships with utilities, national governments and rural communities to bring electricity to over 220 million people in 54 countries, because we believe access to power drives lasting change. We’re excited to team up with Weza Power to help bring that same transformation to communities across Burundi.