What happened to the energy infrastructure in Somalia?

When the 1991 uprising threw Somalia into a lasting civil war, the nationalized energy infrastructure was completely privatized overnight without regulation. What happened immediately was a total blackout with almost no electricity accessible to the country.

Does Somalia have solar power?

The Stimson Center explains that “Somalia has the highest resource potential for onshore wind power in Africa and the country experiences 3,000 hours of sunlight per year with daily solar radiation ranging between 5-7 kWh/m2 per day, which equates to strong solar photovoltaic electricity generation capacity.”

How much does energy cost in Somalia?

Depending on the region, the price can vary from $0.30 per kWh to $1.00 per kWh, starkly contrasting neighboring Ethiopia’s price of $0.06 per kWh. The scorching and consistent sunshine combined with ideal windy conditions means Somalia holds great renewable energy potential.

How does lack of energy planning affect Somalia?

According to a Stimson Center research study that Abdirahman Aynte and Eugene Chen conducted, the lack of nationwide energy planning renders Somalia to regional private power grids that are disconnected, unregulated and overlapping.