MCC Demand Side Management Infrastructure Activity

This Activity aims to sustain and increase electricity demand through demand-side interventions, including support for improved customer service and connection equipment, a consumer education campaign, and improved access to equipment and appliances for customers.

The Activity includes the following: (A) To facilitate new connections, the Activity includes (1) technical assistance for customer service support to ensure that Senelec's (and/or the relevant concession's commercial/customer service unit) and its regional offices are able to efficiently connect new customers and have the inventory management systems to ensure that equipment is available for connections, and (2) an assessment of the availability and qualifications of service providers for interior wiring for households and businesses and grid extension to households and businesses further than 35/45 meters away from the grid. (B) To help educate potential and existing electricity consumers, the Activity includes support customer education and behavior change communications, including, without limitation, electricity literacy and energy efficiency, with approaches designed for specific audiences (e.g., as rural vs. urban areas, men, women and youth, different ethnic and linguistic groups, etc.) targeting (1) connected customers at the national level, (2) unconnected customers in the Project intervention areas, (3) unconnected and connected rural customers for productive uses, and (4) other key stakeholder groups, such as local governments and municipalities, civil society organizations, and private sector leaders and associations; and (C) To facilitate access to equipment and appliances, the Activity includes technical assistance for equipment and appliance suppliers, financial institutions, and consumers to improve the availability of and financing for equipment and appliances, particularly single-phase equipment.