Energizing Rural Transformation

Promotes renewable energy for grid-based power generation, rural home lighting, rural schools and health clinics, and telecommunications to rural communities and enterprises, all integrated with national policies for rural electrification and telecommunications. Provides business development assistance to rural businesses to deliver renewable energy. Initial subsidies for off-grid systems are eventually replaced by a rural access trust fund. New financing mechanism for grid-based power are developed, including carbon finance. Power sector regulatory and policy development support grid-based renewable power. Fits both "productive uses" and "power sector policy" strategic priorities. Total project $118 m., of which $17 m. is rural grid extension investments and $2.5 m. is telecomm investments; remainder is renewable energy. GEF $2.5 m., PCF $8 m., Bank $20 m., private sector $81 m., gov’t $2.9 m., donors $3.6 m.