After successfully connecting over 47,000 households and SMEs, the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) has announced that it will close its five year electricity connection subsidy program for rural households this month, on the 15th of June 2022.
The $33,0000 five years Electricity Services Access Project( ESAP ), will only connect 1,200 out of the 2,500 new applicants using the remaining $198,000.
REA Chief Executive Officer Linus Chanda disclosed that other than the deadline of the project fast approaching, the funds allocated to it are equally almost depleted. He however added that the government has started engaging the World Bank to mobilize more funds for similar projects.
With the pending increase in electricity household connection fees by ZESCO, the remaining 1,300 new applicants will now have to apply to the utility firm under normal applicable fees.
