πΌπ‘’π ππ ππππππ ππ’π ππππ π ππ π’π π’ππ ππ‘ π‘βπ π π’πππ πΈππππ‘πππππππ‘πππ π΄π’π‘βππππ‘π¦ (π πΈπ΄)!
During today’s panel discussion titled βThe Rural Power Play: Turning Access into Productive Useβ at the ZIM-ZAM Energy Projects Summit in Livingstone, REA Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Alex Mbumba, revealed that the Authority has already facilitated over 60,000 electricity connections under the ASCENT Zambia Program, against a national target of 100,000 connections.
To put this achievement into perspective, REA previously facilitated around 20,000 connections annually. The 60,000 connections already recorded under ASCENT represent approximately three years of connections at that historical rate, demonstrating the scale at which the Authority is now working to accelerate electricity access.
Also of great significance, it was noted that REA is focused on ensuring that access to electricity translates into economic opportunities for rural communities.
The Authority is currently developing a Productive Use of Electricity Strategy under the ASCENT Program, which will be accompanied by a credit facility to support rural enterprises. Through partnerships with microfinance institutions, local authorities and other development agencies, the initiative will promote electricity-powered businesses, particularly in agriculture, including agro-processing, milling and cold storage.
The delegates further heard that REA is structuring a subsidy for existing mini-grids, covering both residential and enterprise connections, with implementation expected to commence next year.
For future mini-grid developments, productive use of electricity will be incorporated from the planning and design stages to improve electricity demand, strengthen commercial viability and support sustainable operations.
We leave the ZIM-ZAM stage with a clear message: πΉππ π’π , π€π π’πππππ π‘πππ π‘βππ‘ πππππππ‘πππ ππ’πππ πππππ’πππ‘πππ ππ ππππππ‘πππ‘. π΅π’π‘ πππ π, πππ π’ππππ π‘βππ‘ πππππ‘πππππ‘π¦ π π’πππππ‘π ππ’π ππππ π ππ , πππππ‘ππ ππππππππ ππππππ‘π’πππ‘πππ πππ ππππππ£ππ πππ£πππβππππ ππ πππ’ππππ¦ ππππ‘ππππ π‘π ππ’π ππππππ‘π.
#UniversalAccess #ZIMZAM2026 #ASCENTZambia #productiveuseofelectricity
