Energy for Sustainable Development - Annual report 2012

Poverty reduction and a more fair distribution of resources form the overall guiding principles and goals of Norwegian development cooperation today. Access to modern energy services is crucial to secure social and economic development, and fight poverty. Hence, support to increased clean energy has been high on the Norwegian development agenda.

The United Nations made 2012 the Year of Sustainable Energy for All. Norway showed its commitment to this focal area by providing NOK 2 billion to various clean energy programmes.

Examples of key achievements in 2012

• In Uganda, the “twinning” institutional cooperation between Norway’s Statnett and its «sister company» in Uganda, Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL), reached the end of the project’s phase II. The cooperation has received notably positive feedback from Ugandan authorities.
• Through active donor cooperation Norway has contributed to the electrification of 200,000 households in Lao PDR. The World Bank-initiated programs have combined investments and capacity building. 35,000 households are connected through off-grid systems like solar home systems or mini-hydro power plants.
• With Norad support, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) assists the Ministry of Electricity and Dams (MED) in South Sudan with capacity building. This includes activities related to the development of a legal framework, licensing processes and grid development, as well as implementing activities that are critical for MED’s ability to handle the Fula Rapids hydro power project that is under development. It is too early to expect any concrete outcomes; however, the drafting of an Electricity Bill deserves to be mentioned.
• Norad and the Norwegian Embassy in Nepal participated in a joint donor appraisal mission of the National Rural Renewable Energy programme (NRREP) in April 2012. NRREP is a new, five-year programme that builds on the positive results achieved under the Energy Sector Assistance Programme (ESAP) which has been supported by Norway since 2003.
• In 2012 the International Centre for Hydropower (ICH) organized 15 courses with Norwegian financial support. Courses touch upon various themes and were held in different countries and regions throughout the year.