Let there be light!

MOKHOTLONG – FOR decades, villagers in Matsoaing in Mokhotlong had relied on traditional energy sources such as firewood to meet their household needs.

When temperatures dipped to minus zero during Lesotho’s bitter winters, the villagers would huddle around the fire in their huts to keep themselves warm.

It was an extremely difficult life.

But that is now set to be a thing of the past, thanks to a new rural electrification project being driven by OnePower Lesotho, a clean energy company.

The company launched 10 mini-grids in Mokhotlong last week. As a result a total of 927 households have now been connected to the grid.

The project generates electricity using solar PV panels, batteries and a back-up generator.

The project was made possible, by funding from Sotho Mini-grid Portfolios, a Global Environment Facility, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in support of Lesotho.

Speaking at the launch, a local councillor, Habofanoe Makopela, said the Matsoaing mini-grid “represents all other nine mini-grids in five other rural districts”.

Makopela said OnePower had begun installing electricity in rural homes at Mashai in Thaba-Tseka late last year before it moved to their area.

A resident of Matsoaing, ’Masellone Lesia, 42, who was among the beneficiaries of the project, said they will be able to charge their phones and their children will be able to access internet services.

That will likely result in an improvement in their children’s academic performance, she said.

“We will be able to refrigerate our food so that our children can have proper meals,” Lesia said.

She said schools will also be able to install computers to help students improve their studies.

“Nowadays students are told to use mobile phones to google some of the things they learn and it was a challenge in the past because of lack of electricity,” she said.

“We will be able to stay updated about current affairs in the country by listening to radios and watching television now that we have electricity,” she said.

The United States Embassy’s Economic and Consular Officer, Juan Reyes, said the construction of the mini-grid will not only provide electricity to Basotho living in the five most rural districts but “it is also aligned with the unified vision for global infrastructure development and investment that makes its limit low in middle income countries”.

Dr Matthew Orosz, the chief executive of OnePower who is also a renewable energy system engineer, said electricity is very important in the lives of the people, for their businesses and also for education”.

The United Kingdom High Commissioner, Harry MacDonald, said the commissioning of these mini-grids around the country is the start of great things for Lesotho.

“I’ve always believed in principles behind sustainable energy for all,” MacDonald said.

“It’s something that makes a real difference in people’s lives and the world as a whole because the world needs sustainable energy,” he said.

He said he was delighted to see Lesotho backing renewable energy projects.

The UNDP Resident Representative, Dr Jacqueline Olweya, said the project had succeeded because of partnerships with the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union.

“The main achievement which to me is the most important is enhancing access to electricity, to energy in the rural communities,” Dr Olweya said.

“I’m proud to mention that so far our analysis shows that at least two schools have been connected to this energy that has been provided through the OnePower mini-grid.”

One police station has also been connected as well as a health centre.

She said statistics show that currently only 47 per cent of Basotho have access to clean energy sources in Lesotho and in rural areas such as Matsoaing. The energy access stands at a lowly 11.4 percent.

Natural Resources Minister Mohlomi Moleko said the targeted areas for this project are those located in Thaba-Tseka, Mokhothong, Qacha’s Nek, Mohale’s Hoek and Mafeteng.

He said the expectation is that when this project is completed, about 7 000 families will be connected to electricity in over 170 villages in six districts.

“The electricity you are going to get is exactly the same as that provided by the LEC. You will be able to do everything that the LEC electricity does,” Moleko said.

He said close to 2 000 families in Mokhotlong will have electricity when the project is completed.

“The presence of this electricity will bring improvement in your life as a community, helping your school children to improve in education now that they do have the opportunity to study even at night and it will accelerate the growth of the economy by creating jobs,” he said.

Tšepang Mapola & Liketso Mokhothu