East Africa Advances Joint Electricity Planning to Strengthen Regional Power Trade

Participants examined forecasts of electricity demand, existing and planned generation capacity, and the transmission networks linking countries.

East African countries are working towards a better-connected electricity network, with national utilities reviewing the information needed to plan future generation, transmission and cross-border power sharing. A workshop held in Kigali, Rwanda, on 29–30 September 2026 supported the ongoing update of the Eastern Africa Power Pool Regional Power System Master Plan (EAPP RPSMP).

Representatives from the power utilities of all 16 EAPP member countries joined regional institutions and technical specialists to examine electricity demand forecasts, generation capacity and transmission networks. Their discussions focused on a practical requirement for regional cooperation: countries need reliable, consistent information to decide which electricity investments are necessary and how their systems can work together.

A Shared Framework for Future Electricity Needs

The regional master plan provides a long-term framework for assessing how much electricity countries will need, the generation capacity available to meet that demand and the transmission infrastructure required to connect national systems.

Planning across borders gives countries a shared basis for considering investments that support regional electricity trade. The usefulness of that framework depends on the quality of national inputs and a common understanding of how demand and supply are changing.

The African Development Bank Group organised the Kigali workshop with the EAPP General Secretariat. Financing came from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) through its Africa Energy Sector Technical Assistance Programme (AESTAP).

The Bank is updating the master plan with the African Union Development Agency–New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD), under AESTAP's regional integration and power market development pillar. Workshop participants also included the African Union Commission and Energy Market and Rates Consultants, the consulting firm supporting the review.

Better Data Makes Investment Decisions More Credible

Participants examined forecasts of electricity demand, existing and planned generation capacity, and the transmission networks linking countries. They assessed whether the available data was complete and reliable, identifying gaps that need attention before the study moves forward. Forecasts built on inaccurate information can give a misleading picture of future electricity needs and influence decisions about where infrastructure should be developed.

Harrison Sungu of the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO), a member of the EAPP Planning Sub-Committee, stressed that more refined data strengthens the credibility of demand forecasts and the planning process. He warned that inaccurate inputs can produce unjustified projections and send planning in the wrong direction.

Cooperation Moves the Master Plan Towards Its Next Stage

EAPP Secretary General James Wahogo described reliable information as essential to understanding future needs and planning the required investments. He said the discussions would help utilities and partners develop a shared vision for a stronger regional power system and greater electricity trade.

Miriam Emelife, the African Development Bank Group's Chief Government and Regional Organizations Officer, emphasised the Bank's continuing involvement in the region's electricity development, describing its role as extending beyond financial support.

The meeting marks progress in the planning process; it does not establish that new infrastructure has been completed or that the revised master plan is final. Its contribution is to improve the evidence, technical capacity and cooperation needed to make subsequent investment decisions.

Regional Power Trade Supports Wider Electricity Access

The master plan update contributes to the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the regional integration objectives of Mission 300, the joint African Development Bank and World Bank Group initiative to connect 300 million additional people across Africa to electricity by 2030.

Stronger interconnections and coordinated planning can help create the conditions for more reliable and sustainable electricity systems. Cross-border trade depends on countries understanding both their own needs and the capacity of neighbouring systems, making shared information an essential part of regional electricity development.

For the EAPP members, the work ahead involves turning improved forecasts and technical assessments into clear investment priorities. The Kigali discussions provide a stronger foundation for deciding where generation and transmission infrastructure can best support the region's future electricity needs.