Saint-Louis: Aser relies on solar power to electrify isolated villages

On tour in Saint-Louis, Thursday, October 22, the director general of the Senegalese Rural Electrification Agency (Aser), Pape Momar Ngom visited the solar installations of Bouh Minguene and Khelcom Diaw, in the commune of Gandon. The objective is to evaluate this equipment and strengthen solutions for access to electricity in isolated villages, with a view to universal electrification by 2029.

Appointed on October 1, the new general director of Aser began his national tour in the Saint-Louis region. Accompanied by representatives of the Marroco-Senegalese Electricity Company (Comasel), concessionaire in the area, he met with the populations to gather their opinions on the solar installations put in place and identify the difficulties encountered. Pape Momar Ngom particularly welcomed the interest in individual solar kits for localities where housing is scattered and where connection to the conventional electricity network is expensive. “We decided to visit these facilities to see how to extend this solution to other locations that have similar configurations,” he explained. To achieve universal access to electricity before 2029, Aser plans three approaches including the extension of the existing network for villages close to power lines, the construction of solar power plants with a distribution network for larger localities and the installation of individual kits in the most dispersed villages.

6,471 villages still to be electrified and 400 billion sought

This equipment allows in particular lighting, ventilation and the use of televisions and refrigerators. They can also improve learning conditions for students and facilitate the storage of medicines in appropriate health facilities. “Senegalese people, wherever they are, have the right to electricity,” said the general director. According to Pape Momar Ngom, 6,471 villages remain to be covered as part of the efforts undertaken. Financing needs are estimated at 400 billion FCfa, in addition to current projects. According to him, a round table with donors made it possible to collect more than 800 billion FCfa in financing promises, the conditions of which must still be examined. The tour was also marked by a meeting with the prefect of Saint-Louis. The Director General insisted on the need to involve administrative authorities in the implementation of programs. “We cannot carry out state programs without going through the administrative authorities,” he stressed, recalling that electricity constitutes a basic social service essential to improving the living conditions of rural populations.