How many people in South Sudan have electricity?

Today, only about 1 percent of South Sudan’s 12.5 million people can access the electric grid, according to the state-run utility. Many people use rooftop solar arrays or noisy, polluting diesel generators to keep the lights on; still many more are left in the dark.

Is there a national grid in South Sudan?

Th ere is no national grid in South Sudan, only a series of isolated networks that serve three of the state capitals (Juba, Malakal and Wau) and Renk. Th e South Sudan Electricity Corporation (SSEC) has only 18.8 MW of installed capacity that is operational and it supplies these state capitals.

How much power does South Sudan need?

South Sudan’s installed power capacity is about 130 megawatts, a large chunk of which is used to supply electricity to the country’s abundant oil fields. However, the country’s power demand is about 300 megawatts, an amount that’s likely to grow during peacetime, Deng said. “We are actually thirsty [for generation],” he said.

Will South Sudan's electric sector be restored?

The work to restore South Sudan’s electric sector began in earnest in late 2018, after South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir reached a peace deal with rebel leader Riek Machar. (Earlier this year, Kiir appointed Machar as vice president.)

Will South Sudan build a hydropower project near Juba?

The utility is looking for investors to build a 120-megawatt hydropower project near Juba, which could cost $490 million to construct over five years. South Sudan’s government says it also plans to invest in the 1,080-megawatt Grand Fula project proposed near the Ugandan border, though how and when it would do so is unclear.

Does Juba still have a power supply?

For now, however, most of Juba’s residents are still using their own power supplies to run refrigerators or charge computers. The utility dismantled the old grid, and the upgraded system is proceeding slowly in phases. Deng said his own home likely won’t be connected for several more months.