Presidential

Haiti: President Introduces New Electricity Program

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) – A new government program intends to provide electricity at a rate of more than 8,000 homes per month, over the next two years. Ban’m Limye, Ban’m Lavi (Give me light, give me life) was introduced by President Michel Martelly on Monday.

”The whole country should be electrified,” said President Martelly introducing the new initiative.

The program intends to electrify 200,000 homes in 2 years, starting with a $3 million [US] budget to 10 districts with 400 households; each district will receive $300,000 [US].

The program will begin with "first and foremost Grand Anse and Nord'Ouest [departments]. But it will be long term, common in all communes and communal sections of the country," said the Head of State.

375 km of roadway would also be lit in 3 years, by a $15 million [US] credit that will be granted to local governments, repayable over 7 years at a maximum rate of 7% annual interest, according to Martelly.

In short term, an additional 15MW of energy will be produced by Electricity d’Haiti (Ed’H) in two months to supply industrial zones in the country.

”To encourage investment and facilitate the smooth running of businesses, Ed’H (Electricity of Haiti) will make available in less than two months, 15MW of reliable electricity in certain industrial areas,” said the president.

This is a 7.2% increase for the same unsustainable, state power company, Ed’H, which receives $6 million [US] per month in revenue but spends $17 million [US] per month to operate. The company loses $11 million [US] per month said its Director Garry Valdemar in December.

According to Le Nouvelliste, the announcement ceremony, held at Hotel Le Plaza, was attended by several operators producing electric power and representatives of institutions working in the field of credit as SOGESOL, BPH, the SOFIDHES the ANACAPH, E Power, T Energy, Eco Energy Plus , Energy Group, among others. In less than two years, 200,000 households will be electrified.

Ban’m Limye, Ban’m Lavi presumably intends to have the National Treasury absorb the $11 million [US] per month, plus more, loss of the Ed’H. No further funding sources had been mentioned.