Expression of Interest For Botswana National Electrification Analysis (Nea)

Expression of Interest are invited for Botswana National Electrification Analysis (NEA) Botswana is a large, sparsely populated, land-locked country. Expanding electricity access to more remote and lower-population density areas increases the electricity infrastructure costs while ability to pay for service diminishes. The Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) network extends over long distances which results in high transmission and distribution losses at a system average of 15.35% as of 2021. Furthermore, the current power deficit in the region has had a huge impact on villages along the borders which have traditionally been serviced from cross-border supply. The major load shedding issues currently widespread in South Africa, is impacting the level of service in these bordering villages on the Botswana side, BPC estimate the number of hours without electricity in these villages to an average of about 2 hours mainly during morning and evening peak hours. At about 70 percent, national electrification is low by global standards and relative to Botswanas per capita income. The Government of Botswana (GoB) is committed to ensure universal access by 2030, but progress in increasing access has been slow. A long-term historical trend of access increase of about 1.5 percentage points per year was interrupted by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Between 2010 and 2021, access to electricity in rural areas made little progress lingering around 25 percent, with most rural households not having access to electricity, the majority of whom are low-income households. Following the Government of Botswanas (GoB) request for advisory services, the World Bank (Bank) is seeking the services of a Consultant (firm or a consortium), with relevant and proven expertise and experience to undertake a National Electrification Analysis (NEA) as outlined in the Terms of Reference (TOR). The objective of the NEA is to provide analysis and insight on least-cost combination of various electricity access options which the World Bank may use to assist in providing advisory services to the Government of Botswana in achieving its universal access goal by 2030. The consultants are asked to work closely with the government in the development of the geospatial based least-cost model, to ensure its relevance for the key stakeholders, as well as continuous learning opportunity. Tender Link : https://wbgeprocure-rfxnow.worldbank.org/rfxnow/public/advertisement/4005/view.html