Assessing Impacts of Unreliable Electricity

Many electric-grid services in East Africa are considered unreliable and of poor quality. In Zanzibar, Tanzania, communities face frequent power outages and voltage variabilities. This project explores low cost, non-invasive methods for monitoring power quality and outages, such as a novel sensor deployment, to gather seasonal and daily variability of electricity access in Zanzibar. In addition, 150 households are surveyed to better understand the effects of unreliable electricity access on their communities. The outcome of this research will provide insight to the Zanzibar Electricity Corporation about the state of its distribution grid, which can lead to informed policy choices, in hopes of improving electricity services in the region. Finally, the methodology has the potential to be used in other regions facing similar issues. Results forthcoming.