BY NDUMBE BELL GASTON IN DOUALA
A loan of US$ 325 million has reportedly been approved by the World Bank Board of Executive Directors to reinforce ENEO’s transmission network.
The deal that was concluded earlier this month was the result of negotiations between the International Bank of Reconstruction and Developments (IBRD’S) Electricity Transmission and Reform project and the government of Cameroon. It is also aimed to assist in improving the galloping deficit in the sustainability of energy supply to the private sector, the population, and the new found National Electricity Transport Company, named SONATREL, for its operational and human resource improvement objectives for their initial take-off.
IBRD’S Electricity Transmission and Reform project and SONATREL are expected to collaborate or fuse their expertise not only in accessing electricity by improving transmission from new hydro-plants and surpluses from regions to towns or villages in underprivileged zones and urban areas, the project is envisaged to benefit future consumers, multiply or create additional infrastructures, and redouble economic growth.
Commenting on the deal the World Bank Country Director for Cameroon Elisabeth Huybens declared, <With only 74% of the Cameroonian population living in localities with direct access to electricity, the need and pressure for electricity is very high. With power supply and reliability being identified as important impediments to economic growth, this project will help establish a predictable environment for future growth and competitiveness in Cameroon.>
SONATREL will discharge their duties in three tiers, to help them operate efficiently, are expected to upgrade capacity, usher in confidence in the reliability of the nation’s electricity transmission network and make power supply reliable. They are also expected, in brief, to finance technical, analytic, and upgrade capacities to support key stakeholders through Sonatrel’s Project Implementation Unit (PIU) for the realisation of this project.
Sonatrel’s Stephan Garnier, Lead Energy Specialist declared <the sustainability of infrastructure investments critically depends on the timely implementation of the accompanying reforms and the operationalisation of Sonatrel. It will, therefore, be key to continue to assist the National Electricity Transport Company in its operationalisation and the implementation of the Third party model for non-discriminatory access to the transmission network.>