Slum Electrification and Loss Reduction (SELR) Program
~ A project to provide legal and safe electricity connections in Slum Dwelling Units that do not currently have electricity connection ~
The SELR program is a collaborative effort between International Copper Promotion Council India (ICPCI), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank administered Global Partnership for Output-Based Aid (GPOBA) and Reliance Infrastructure Limited (RInfra). This program launched on Nov 17, 2009 is a pilot project to provide legal and safe electricity connections in slum areas. The workshop was inagurated by Mr V. P. Raja, Chairman, Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission, other speakers included eminent senior managers of the World Bank, Reliance Infrastructure, USAID and utility engineers from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. For more information on the workshop click here
Slums are an integral part of India’s cities. Almost 1 billion people live in urban slums with unsafe electrical installations and have limited access to legal electrical connections. Power theft in these slums results in high losses for distribution utilities. Most slums have limited access to electricity, water and sanitation services. The city of Mumbai has over 6 million slum dwellers (over 50% of the population), a large number of who do not have access to legal electricity service.
The objectives of this project is to develop, test and evaluate customized approaches to improve electricity access, reduce losses, and normalize services in slum areas for wide-scale implementation whilst demonstrating the use of output based aid as an effective means to delivering subsidies in such environments. This scheme benefits from a $1.65 million grant from GPOBA towards wiring costs faced by slum dwellers.
OVERALL PROJECT SCOPE
The overall scope of the Project covers slum clusters of Shivajinagar and some other slum areas (to be identified) in the RInfra service area in Mumbai. The final targeted number of slum dwelling units in these clusters are estimated to 26,250.
The Project will:
- Provide legal and safe electricity connections for about 21,250 slum dwelling units (DUs) that do not currently have electricity connections.
- Provide upgraded and safe internal wiring for about 5,000 slum dwelling units (DUs) on first come first serve basis that currently have legal connections.
- Upgrade the utility network and substations, install meters, and meter boxes, if required.
- Document program outputs and results.
- Help developing guidelines for implementation of future slum electrification programs in other parts of India and elsewhere.
Workshop Highlights
Affordable, reliable and safe electricity for the urban poor - Challenges and Opportunities
Mr. Dilip Limaye
Consultant, USAID-Washington D.C., USAID
Output Based Aid (OBA) - An effective approach to delivering basic services for the poor
Mr. Mustafa Zakir Hussain
Senior Infrastructure Finance Specialist
Global Partnership for Output Based Aid, The World Bank
Improvements in safety and energy efficiency through slum electrification - A Global perspective
Mr. John Mollet
Vice-President
International Copper Association
SELR & Its Implications in Mumbai
Mr. P. M. Hundiwale
Vice-President (Operations)
Reliance Infrastructure Ltd.
Regulatory perspectives on slum electrification & loss reduction
Mr. V. P. Raja
Chairman
Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission
Community mobilization through education and training
Mr. Adolf Tragler
Director
Slum Rehabilitation Society
The successful SELR project in Sao Paulo
Mr. Cavaretti,
Manager
Eletropaulo, Brazil
Slums and Remote Areas Electrification in Indonesia
Mr. Ratno Wibowo
Assistant Deputy Director - Distribution
Java Bali Region
&
Mr. Agus Bachtiar Aziz
Assistant Deputy Director - Distribution
Outside Java Bali Region
MERALCO's Electric Service for High System Loss and Slum Areas - Philippines
Mr. Victor H. Baylosis
Senior Manager and Head
San Pedro Business Center
&
Mr. Jose A. Dulin
Jr. Senior Manager and Head, North Distribution Services
Valenzuela Metering Security
Challenges and opportunities for providing Electricity service in low-income urban areas in Sri Lanka
Mr. J Meegoda
Chief Engineer, Colombo (West)
Ceylon electricity Board