Mozambique secures World Bank funds, seeks consultants for power distribution project

The government of Mozambique will allot a portion of World Bank funds – received for the country’s Power Efficiency and Reliability Improvement Project – to the appointment of consulting services. The project will include a review of current standards for the project and alignment with global best practices.

Africa as a continent is on the threshold of becoming highly relevant for the global economy, given its cumulatively young population and its rapidly developing economy. In order to realise this potential, however, the continent needs to secure a number of fundamentals, the most significant of which is its infrastructural framework.

A report from The Boston Consulting Group at the end of last year revealed that sub-Saharan Africa currently faces an infrastructure gap of $100 billion, extending across the energy, transport, and ICT sectors. However, recent developments indicate that this scenario is on the mend. 

Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia have all sought consulting support for major energy development projects in recent months, ranging from thermal power plants to liquefied natural gas projects to solar energy farms. Now, Mozambique has initiated its Power Efficiency and Reliability Improvement Project (PERIP).

PERIP is aimed at increasing operational capacity of power generation plants in certain designated areas across Mozambique, and is to be implemented through a three-pronged approach. Firstly, the programme focuses on the infrastructure, with the aim of improving transmission and distribution. 

Secondly, the programme will examine the operations of Mozambiques power distribution agency – Electricidade de Mozambique (EDM), aiming at optimisation and greater commercial efficiency. Thirdly, the programme examines the overall institutional framework for power distribution in the country.

Of the $150 million allocated by the World Bank for PERIP, a portion has been designated by EDM for hiring consultants. The selected firm will examine the current EDM standards for design and construction, analyse their distance from international best practices, and propose a new and improved operational framework.