Issues on rural electrification

With the vow to have equity on energy access, many institutions, government, NGOs, private as well as international donors are becoming obliged to provide energy access for those living in areas far from the grid access. In 2008 alone, it is estimated that around 1.5 billion people lack of energy access. These people lives in areas where due to the geographic conditions, access to electricity is barely possible (IEA, 2010). Often, these people are those unfortunate fraction of individuals living in the lowest line of economy.

There are some benefits of rural electrification. In fact, these benefits are similar to having access to electricity. For the sake of discussion, this article limits the benefits to the scope of social and economic benefits.

Having access to electricity improves social life. Through adequate lighting, people can prolong their time to interact socially. This also applies in electrified rural areas. By its virtue, human is social being. They tend to interact to each other to fill social needs. Interacting with others results in generation of ideas, perceiving information as well as filling the need of social exchanges. In areas where the economy is less developed, the only leisure activity that may happen is social interaction whether within the family members or with the neighbours. With electricity access, time to interact socially can occur in the afternoon after villagers have finished their productive activities.

Rural electrification also facilitates information access. Where printed media is accessible, educated people living in rural areas can read newspaper or magazine in the afternoon. If the economy is more developed, villagers having affordability to buy TV or radio will have the benefit to access information. News or entertainment broadcast on TV or radio fulfills the need of perceiving information.