Demand is huge, but infrastructure problems are enormous, a new study reports.
The study, based on the energy supply situation in Eastern and Southern Africa, attributes the imbalance to the region's rapid urbanisation which is higher than the region's population growth. The study, funded by the Norwegian Agency for International Development and the Swedish International Development Agency, says while the number of electricity consumers is rapidly increasing, resources to expand or maintain existing plants are scare. These factors contribute to the inability of utility companies to cope with the demand for electricity resulting in power rationing and frequent supply interruptions,'' says Abel Mbewe of the Lusaka-based Centre for Energy Environment and Engineering. Radical changes in the economies of the countries in the region in the 1980s contributed to the reduction in energy use. This scenario has led to increased pressure on the provision of basic social services like electricity, water, education and housing.