Hydroelectricity : AfDB releases US $ 42.9 million

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has released $ 42.9 million as a loan for Madagascar as part of phase 2 of the Project for the interconnection and strengthening of the electricity transmission network (PRIRTEM-II). This project consists of strengthening the electricity transmission and interconnection networks in the southern axis between Antananarivo and Antsirabe. The infrastructure will be spread over 135km of 220kV power lines in order to transport the production of the future Sahofika dam, designed by the Neho consortium. This dam will enter under construction in 2021, according to the initial schedule, and will supply 192MW of continuous and clean electricity for 8 million people and 19 villages surrounding the project. In May 2020, Kevin Kanina Kariuki, AfDB Vice President in charge of Energy, Climate Change and Green Growth in Africa, said : “The support to the Sahofika project illustrates the AfDB’s commitment to provide affordable and quality energy access across the continent for sustainable and inclusive growth, while helping member countries responsibly harness their vast renewable, but under-exploited energy resources. As the world’s largest hydropower project under development in the country, the Sahofika project will unleash Madagascar’s hydroelectric potential and diversify its energy mix in favor of 90% renewable energies”. With the Sahofika project, the low rate of rural electrification will drop from 6% to 15% by 2023 and will reduce the dependence of Jirama, the national electricity company in Madagascar on fossil energy sources while launching the transition to clean sources. This energy transition is supported to the tune of $ 14.3 million by the Transition Support Fund (TSF) added to the $ 28.6 million from the African Development Fund (ADF), which make up this loan to the PRIRTEM-II project of the ADB.