GRANTEE
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) International
NRECA International, the nonprofit organization of the U.S. National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), brings decades of experience in rural electrification to communities around the world. NRECA International provides engineering and technical expertise, strengthens local utilities, trains utility professionals, and helps develop sustainable business and institutional models for rural power systems. Since 1962, NRECA International’s work has contributed to expanding access to safe, reliable, and affordable electricity for more than 200 million people worldwide.
Focus & Impact
Electrical infrastructure expansion is notoriously hazardous. The DRC government aims to expand electricity access from 22.5% to over 60% by 2030. This will require a workforce of qualified individuals capable of leading formidable construction and maintenance work, yet DRC has no accredited lineworker training institution and safety data is scarce.
Establishing standards and building a culture of safety. NRECA International’s safety program starts by collaborating with local operators to assess performance against international safety standards and regional peers. It will then carry out safety training for lineworkers and staff, followed by a communications campaign to raise awareness and demand for better safety practices.
A foundation for a national program. The program is modeled on NRECA’s safety program for more than 675 U.S. electric cooperatives and carefully adapted to the DRC context. Energy Corps’ grant funds the first phase of the project, creating scalable tools and guidelines for integration into national electrification programs and donor-funded projects.
Project Funded
Energy Corps is the primary funder of the first phase of NRECA International’s Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) safety program, covering outreach to government and industry, a baseline safety assessment, training, and a communications campaign to build awareness and interest in safer practices. The project is expected to benefit more than 10,000 utility employees and customers. By enabling safe electricity access expansion, the project will advance human health and well-being in the DRC.
VOICES FROM THE FIELD
ENERGY CORPS + NRECA: WHY IT MATTERS
Energy Corps’ support to NRECA International advances the drive to bring electricity access to households across the DRC does not come at the cost of workers’ lives. A trained, safety-conscious workforce can extend and maintain power lines faster and more reliably, serving as a model for peer utilities and helping communities safely shift from energy poverty to energy prosperity.
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