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Supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in Malawi : a case of Mbayani Township
This study investigates the supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in Mbayani Township in Blantyre City in Malawi. The low cost urban electrification program, which used compact ready boards to provide electricity to poor households in Mbayani, is the first such...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Energy Research Centre
2015
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| _version_ | 1867613241956368384 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Matinga, Margaret Njirambo |
| author2 | Prasad, Gisela |
| author_browse | Matinga, Margaret Njirambo Prasad, Gisela |
| author_facet | Prasad, Gisela Matinga, Margaret Njirambo |
| author_sort | Matinga, Margaret Njirambo |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | This study investigates the supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in Mbayani Township in Blantyre City in Malawi. The low cost urban electrification program, which used compact ready boards to provide electricity to poor households in Mbayani, is the first such program in the country. The study therefore examines the strategies used to assess how they impact the service provider and the newly electrified households in terms of benefits and costs in order to draw lesson for similar programs in the future. Using an interview, the study first examines the financing and planning strategies, technologies used, tariff design and cost recovery strategies on the supply side. On users' side, the study uses a sample household survey to examine the effects of electrification on households' expenditures, fuel use and on the small and medium scale enterprises sector in Mbayani. The study conducted key informant interviews to assess community leaders' perception of the program. In addition, the study reviews the South African electrification program from which it draws lessons for Malawi. On the supply side, the strategies used reduced electrification costs and enabled the service provider to use infrastructure that was previously under-utilised. However, limited financing and planning which ignored user needs has negative implications on the program outcomes. Electricity tariffs were based on a monthly flat rate tariff, which is likely to negatively impact on the utility's revenue. However, at the scale that the program was carried out, this impact is negligible. The tariff nevertheless ensures cost recovery over a period of 5 years. While lack of data from the utility hindered detailed analysis of the supply side impacts, the study concluded that the strategies used yielded net costs for the utility. On the demand side, the study found that electrification strategies used had a positive impact on households' energy burden and budget control and that most households have switched to electricity for lighting, powering radios and partly for cooking. Major barriers in maximising benefits are high costs of electrical appliances and poor supply quality. The study recommends that future programs should use holistic participatory planning and should diversify sources of funding. Electrification strategies must also target small and medium enterprises and promote support for acquisition of better quality appliances. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/14624 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:33:01.081Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publishDateRange | 2015 |
| publishDateSort | 2015 |
| publisher | Energy Research Centre |
| publisherStr | Energy Research Centre |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/14624 Supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in Malawi : a case of Mbayani Township Matinga, Margaret Njirambo Prasad, Gisela Energy and Development Studies This study investigates the supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in Mbayani Township in Blantyre City in Malawi. The low cost urban electrification program, which used compact ready boards to provide electricity to poor households in Mbayani, is the first such program in the country. The study therefore examines the strategies used to assess how they impact the service provider and the newly electrified households in terms of benefits and costs in order to draw lesson for similar programs in the future. Using an interview, the study first examines the financing and planning strategies, technologies used, tariff design and cost recovery strategies on the supply side. On users' side, the study uses a sample household survey to examine the effects of electrification on households' expenditures, fuel use and on the small and medium scale enterprises sector in Mbayani. The study conducted key informant interviews to assess community leaders' perception of the program. In addition, the study reviews the South African electrification program from which it draws lessons for Malawi. On the supply side, the strategies used reduced electrification costs and enabled the service provider to use infrastructure that was previously under-utilised. However, limited financing and planning which ignored user needs has negative implications on the program outcomes. Electricity tariffs were based on a monthly flat rate tariff, which is likely to negatively impact on the utility's revenue. However, at the scale that the program was carried out, this impact is negligible. The tariff nevertheless ensures cost recovery over a period of 5 years. While lack of data from the utility hindered detailed analysis of the supply side impacts, the study concluded that the strategies used yielded net costs for the utility. On the demand side, the study found that electrification strategies used had a positive impact on households' energy burden and budget control and that most households have switched to electricity for lighting, powering radios and partly for cooking. Major barriers in maximising benefits are high costs of electrical appliances and poor supply quality. The study recommends that future programs should use holistic participatory planning and should diversify sources of funding. Electrification strategies must also target small and medium enterprises and promote support for acquisition of better quality appliances. 2015-11-04T10:23:52Z 2015-11-04T10:23:52Z 2004 Master Thesis Masters MSc (Eng) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14624 eng application/pdf Energy Research Centre Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Energy and Development Studies Matinga, Margaret Njirambo Supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in Malawi : a case of Mbayani Township |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in Malawi : a case of Mbayani Township |
| title_full | Supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in Malawi : a case of Mbayani Township |
| title_fullStr | Supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in Malawi : a case of Mbayani Township |
| title_full_unstemmed | Supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in Malawi : a case of Mbayani Township |
| title_short | Supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in Malawi : a case of Mbayani Township |
| title_sort | supply and demand side benefits and costs of low cost urban electrification in malawi a case of mbayani township |
| topic | Energy and Development Studies |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14624 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT matingamargaretnjirambo supplyanddemandsidebenefitsandcostsoflowcosturbanelectrificationinmalawiacaseofmbayanitownship |