Analysis of Factors Affecting Performance of Rural Electrification Projects in Rwanda: A Case of Scaling Up Energy Access Project (SEAP)

The proposed Scaling-Up Energy Access project was launched in 2013 and expected to be phased out in November 2017. The project covers the Northern and Western provinces of Rwanda. The project expected to upgrade and rehabilitate two existing substations in Northern Province, the Gifurwe substation to 10MVA capacity and the Rulindo substation (also to be relocated) to 20MVA capacity, (ii) build about 464 km of medium voltage (MV) and 710 km of low-voltage (LV) distribution networks in both provinces, and (iii) connect 25, 438 households and priority institutions (179 schools, 29 health centers and 25 sector administration offices) to the grid along the constructed distribution network areas. According to the project evaluation report of September, 2017 on performance of Scaling-Up Energy Access project, the project managed to achieve its targets in respect of connecting 179 schools, 29 health centers and 25 sector administration offices. By 15th September, 2017 which is the time the performance evaluation was carried out, and only 15, 568 households were connected against 25, 438 targeted. The project evaluation report did not reveal the factors behind the failure of Scaling-Up Energy Access project to connect all of the targeted households. Given this situation, several factors like resources inadequacy, poor monitoring and evaluation, lack of technical designs, lack of effective contract management systems, poor infrastructures like roads, dispersed households and poor access to finance for local people are said to be on the top of the factors that led to poor performance of Scaling-Up Energy Access project in respect of connecting all of the targeted households. Up to now, there is no consensus among the projects stakeholders about the real factors that led to poor performance of Scaling-Up Energy Access project in respect to connecting all targeted households. Therefore, the researcher is eager to analyze the factors affecting performance of rural electrification projects in Rwanda. The researcher undertook quantitative research. Its sample size equaled to 158 respondents. Primary data were collected through the use of questionnaires. Based on the information drawn from findings the researcher concluded that the effect of technical design factors on performance of Scaling up Energy Access Project is significant. It was found out that the project could not perform without operational feasibility. Project also should not succeed without efficacy of technical feasibility. The findings demonstrated that there is a strong relationship between resource factors and performance of Scaling Up Energy Access Project. The study found out that financial resources have a great effect on successful completion of the projects activities. It showed that the increase of one unit in resource factors would increase the performance of Scale Up Energy Access project by.298 units if other variables remain constant. The findings study demonstrated that there is a strong relationship between contract factors and performance of Scaling Up Energy Access Project where the increase of one unit in resource factor increases the performance of Scaling Up Energy Access Project by.176 units if other variables stay constant. After analysis and interpretation of data, the researcher came up with the following recommendations Project management should consider technical design factors in order to ensure effective implementation of project activities, Project managers should put much emphasis in availing enough resources including human, financial and material so as to ensure the successful performance of the projects and Project managers and their project teams must consider the contract factors so as to ensure that the tendering processes are effective and all materials needed are available on time.