Winch Energy has signed a contract with the Ministry of Energy in Sierra Leone to provide Solar mini-grid powered energy to 24 villages in Sierra Leone. This is a part of the public-private partnership project. This Rural Renewable Energy Project (RREP) is supported by UK aid grant funding and carried out by United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The energy company intends to become fully operational in June 2019, with aims to power over 6,000 people directly from the first phase.
About 12 mini-grids have already been installed and larger 12 mini-grid will be installed by the company in the 4th Quarter of 2019. The larger mini-grid will provide direct electricity connections for 24,000 people. This project is one of the largest off-grid projects in Africa, and it will power a population of over 40,000 people- whose combined installed capacity is at 1.2MW. The Minister of Energy built a strategy that accommodated the private sector in the operation and maintenance of the project, for the Sierra Leone Government through a Public-Private Partnership initiative.
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The project will see the powering of 100 villages by 2020, it will also make Winch Energy one of the biggest suppliers of electricity in Sierra Leone. This aligns with Winch Energy’s aim of expanding its services across Africa. The communities will leverage on the project to increase their income by offering a better serviced trading centre to the surrounding local population. The project also aims to encourage larger productive uses of electricity for the industrial sector.
Nicholas Wrigley, Winch Energy’s CEO said they are delighted to have been selected by the Government of Sierra Leone to build and operate off-grid localities in the country. “This project places the Winch Energy Group in the leading group of operators who are transforming the off-grid market in Africa and elsewhere. We believe that electricity and related services is transformant to communities helping to kick-start local businesses and enhance wealth and prosperity. We are committed to substantial investment in Sierra Leone and expect to add more customers and localities to our business in coming months, with the help of our local management team and employees.”
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