Infrastructure development in Africa (East African electricity sector)

Abstract

In the article, the authors analyze the current state and prospects for the development of the energy infrastructure in the countries of East Africa. They provide data from various sources on the facilities under construction in the field of electricity generation. Today, Africa is a dynamically developing continent with powerful potential that will have a tangible impact on world development in the 21st century. The large-scale transformations that are taking place on the continent require an outstripping pace of infrastructure development, which, despite the success achieved, still does not meet its needs. Africa is the least electrified continent in the world, where half of the population does not have access to electricity. The authors come to the conclusion that a surplus of installed capacity already exists in certain states of East Africa, and in the medium term will reach regional proportions when all power plants under construction are put into operation. To effectively use the excess of electricity, as well as to unlock the potential of both regional and interregional trade, it is necessary to develop transmission and distribution networks. Their underdevelopment is a serious obstacle to expanding the population's access to electricity. Companies from both traditional and new partner countries are actively involved in electricity projects in East Africa. The participation of companies from Russia at the moment is very limited, despite the existing experience and technological base. The COVID-19 pandemic that swept the world in 2020 will undoubtedly have a negative impact on global financial flows and the implementation of electricity projects (the suspension of several projects has already been announced). However, according to the authors, the negative impact will not be so large-scale due to the long-term nature of the contracts, as well as the socio-economic significance of the projects.