‘Take advantage of zero electricity connection fee’
Otlarongwa Kgweetsi | Tuesday September 3, 2024 16:45
The call was made by Minerals and Energy minister, Lefoko Moagi, when speaking at the launch of the 2024-25 112 Villages Rural Electrification Project at Khwee village. “I encourage all Batswana to take advantage of the newly intrduced free household electricity connection initiative. This free connection is inclusive and does not discriminate against household structures, any type of home that a family resides in will benefit under this programme, including traditional Setswana houses,” Moagi said. In his address, he also emphasised the importance of extending the electricity network to accommodate the growing needs of expanding villages. “This significant event not only marks a historic moment for Khwee Village but also for many other communities that will soon be connected to the national grid.
He added: “This project is a critical element of our collective mission to elevate Botswana to a high-income country in line with Vision 2036.” The 2024-25 Village Electrification Project (VEP) includes the electrification of 20 new villages and the expansion of electricity networks in 92 existing villages nationwide. The estimated cost of electrifying the 20 new villages stands at P209 million, while the network extension for the 92 villages is projected at P286 million. The initiative follows a review of the National Electricity Standard Connection Cost (NESC), which identified that the previous fees of P5, 000 and P2, 500 were insufficient to meet the government’s ambitious target of 100% electricity access. Currently, with an access rate of 72%, the elimination of connection fees is seen as a more effective strategy for achieving universal coverage.
The previous 2023-24 VEP launched in August 2023 in Lepashe village, included the electrification of six new villages and the extension of networks to 27 others. It demonstrated the government’s commitment to ensuring that no part of Botswana remains without electricity. “As lands, farms, and settlements are upgraded and as new plots are allocated, we must continually extend our network to meet these demands,” he said. “A significant portion of our budget is allocated annually for these network extensions to ensure that new plots and expanding communities are connected,” he added. On his part, the BPC CEO, David Kgoboko, added that out of 565 villages across the country, 462 have already been connected to electricity, showing the progress made under the Rural Electrification Programme. Under the project, all types of houses can be electrified including traditional tswana huts.
The availability of electricity is a key driver of economic growth, facilitating the establishment of new businesses and improving the overall quality of life in rural areas. Government, as the primary supporter of rural electrification, provides substantial financial backing to BPC for the execution of these projects.