A consortium comprising Electricité de France (65%) and TotalFinaElf (35%) announces that it has signed a contract for a rural solar power electrification programme for 15,000 households in South Africa.

More than 90,000 people living in areas remote from the electricity grid in the province of Kwazulu Natal, the capital of which is Durban, will gain access to electricity over the next three years. Households will be equipped with a solar panel and a battery to supply power for lighting, a television and a radio.

The company created to implement the electrification program will ensure that the installations operate correctly for a period of 20 years. Tenesa, a South African subsidiary of Total Energie, itself a joint subsidiary of Electricité de France and TotalFinaElf, will supply the solar panels. Other services will also be offered, such as the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Local teams will be recruited and trained to market, install and maintain the equipment and manage the customer base.

The programme has a budget of 8.1 million Euros. The South African authorities are contributing to the initial investment by subsidising the photo-voltaic systems, while the Electricité de France/TotalFinaElf consortium will be responsible for additional financing. Customers will contribute to the operating cost by paying a monthly fee.

This environment-friendly project promotes local development, and reflects the partners’ commitment to sustainable development.