Electricity Alert: Madagascar

JIRAMA (Jiro sy Rano Malagasy – Malagasy Power and Water) earlier monopolistic, now a limited liability company fully state owned, is responsible for provision of electricity (production, transmission, and distribution) and water services in the urban areas of the whole country, activities concerning rural electrification have been ceded to the Rural Electrification Agency (ADER)

With the reform of the energy sector, implemented between 1998-2004; it was decided to promote the private sector participation in the sector of rural electrification. Until today, some 20 operators – mainly small and medium-sized companies - have realized approx. 80 projects in the rural areas. Most of the private operators are associated in the Association des Opérateurs Professionnels en Electrification de Madagascar (AOPEM).
This private sector is relatively dynamic but faces some problems as regards experiences with renewable electrification schemes and getting access to financing for the projects (a part from ADER) because of their small sizes and deficits in book keeping and setting-up of business plans.

Madagascar’s energy balance shows that about 80% of its overall energy consumption is based on biomass (mainly firewood 68%, charcoal 10% and other biomass 2%), 17% on petrol (transport), 2% on electricity (hydropower and diesel power plants) and 1% on coal.

Access to electricity remains low with about 20% of the total population having access to this form of modern energy. In the rural areas, only about 5% have access to electricity. The country has three interconnected networks with a total installed generation capacity of 544 MW (1120 GWh in 2013), comprising 161 MW (681 GWh) of hydropower and 383 MW (439 GWh) of thermal energy generated from heavy fuel oil and diesel. However, only 303 MW out of this installed capacity is actually operational and available, due to a lack of maintenance and poor operational performance by the national utility. This is not enough to satisfy peak demand, particularly during the dry season.

Madagascar has significant hydropower potential, particularly in the eastern part of the country, which exhibits suitable topography and rainfall. The country currently has 11 major hydropower plants in operation, of which most function as run-of-the-river plants and three have a regulation capacity (reservoir). The hydropower potential of the country has previously been estimated at 7800 MW, with only 2% being utilised, although a more conservative estimate in terms of the economically exploitable potential has not been fully established.

Hydropower in general provides approximately 68% of the country’s electricity, the rest is produced by close to 100 diesel power plants. There is only a very limited national electricity grid between the capital Antananarivo and the city of Antsirabé with an overall length of approximately. 180 km. The rest of the electrified cities and villages rely on isolated small and mini grids.

Thermal power stations

Lemur Resources Ltd has signed an MOU with Jirama, the Madagascan Government's state owned electricity company responsible for the production, transport and distribution of electricity in Madagascar. The MOU relates to a proposal for Lemur's 99% owned subsidiary, Coal Mining Madagascar SARL , to undertake studies in relation to building and operating a coal fired power station located in the Imaloto Coal Basin in South West Madagascar, close to Lemur's Imaloto Coal Project; and if the coal fired power station is financed and built, to supply Jirama with surplus electricity generated from the power station, which is expected to result in an increase in the existing electricity supply network in Madagascar.

Hydroelectric power stations

The Sahanivotry Power Plant is Madagascar’s first privately owned and operated hydro-electric power plant and the first hydropower plant to be built on the island since 1982. Located on the Sahanivotry River 30 km south of Antsirabe in the province of Antanarivo, the hydropower plant has an installed capacity of 15 MW and an average gross electricity generation of 90 GWh. It will produce 10% of the island’s total supply of electricity. Once Sahanivotry is completed, Hydelec, Sahanivotry’s operator, will undertake studies for other hydropower projects in Mahitsy (12 MW) and Maroantsetra (1.2 MW).

Micro hydroelectric plants

Ranomainty has an installed capacity of 120 kW
Ankazomiriotra has an installed capacity of 120 kW
Mangamila has an installed capacity of 85 kW
Amboasary gara has an installed capacity of (2*35 kW) = 70 kW
Merikanjaka has an installed capacity of 40 kW
Ranomafana Est has an installed capacity of 30 kW
Ranostara Nord has an installed capacity of 25 kW
Anosibe has an installed capacity of 10 kW
Ambohijoky has an installed capacity of 7.5 kW

Power plants in Madagascar with localities

Electricity Alert

Madagascar

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