Improve the commercial performance of the electric utility and its capacity to dispatch variable renewable energy.

The objective of the Solar Energy Integration Platform Project for Comoros is to improve the commercial performance of the electric utility and its capacity to dispatch variable renewable energy. The project has four components. 1. Investment in Power Storage, Pilot Photovoltaic (PV), and System Upgrades component will finance around 9 MWp (Megawatt Peak) of PV on a pilot basis on Grande Comore at one of the 11 prospective solar sites identified as part of project preparation. The facility is expected to displace around 13 GWh of diesel-based thermal generation every year. 2. SONELEC (National Comorian Electricity Company) Commercial and Financial Recovery component will strengthen SONELEC's financial performance by improving billing and metering infrastructure, as well as targeted consumer awareness campaigns. This component has two subcomponents. Subcomponent 2.1: Geographical expansion and enhancements of SONELEC's commercial management system (CMS). The ESRP has financed the implementation of a state-of-the-art hardware and software infrastructure for SONELEC's new CMS covering all customers on Grande Comore and MohEli to ensure the streamlining of billing and collection activities and fully integrating the new prepaid metering infrastructure. The 2.2. subcomponent will take care of the rollout of advanced metering infrastructure. The Electricity Sector Recovery Project (ESRP) had piloted the installation of 1,000 prepaid low-voltage meters and 400 smart three-phase meters of different types. Consequently, the project will support the mainstreaming of prepaid meters by installing 95,000 additional split-type meters on all three islands, which will have a considerable impact on strengthening the sustainability of SONELEC's revenues and cash flow. 3. Technical Assistance, Project Implementation support, and capacity building component has four subcomponents. 3.1. Subcomponent will provide the project implementation support. Experience with the energy sector in the Comoros has shown that significant support for project coordination and implementation is necessary due to low capacity and significant historic sector governance challenges. 3.2. Training and capacity building in transmission and dispatch system operations and maintenance subcomponent will support the transition from SONELEC's current short-term oriented approach that restricts private sector participation to the implementation of turnkey contracts for the construction of new generation capacity. This subcomponent will include the financing to engage private sector operators in the Operations and Maintenance (O and M) of the three islands dispatch systems for a duration of three years, in addition to the PV plus storage O and M provided for under Component 1. SONELEC's technical staff will be trained during that period to carry out future O and M activities once the contracts with private sector have expired. 3.3. subcomponent will focus on the expansion of gender-based communication and awareness campaigns. The recently completed ESRP was successful in increasing women's awareness and advocating the value of formal electricity connections and the importance of paying electricity bills. 3.4. Technical assistance for sector governance and renewable energy development subcomponent will provide support to the key energy sector institutions through the hiring of external experts and the provision of training. 4. Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) with zero allocation may be used to contribute to an emergency response through the timely implementation of activities in response to an eligible national emergency. The CERC can also be used to channel additional funds if they become available as a result of said emergency. For the Comorian energy sector, emergency conditions may arise subsequent to extreme weather events including cyclones and flooding or economic disruption including fuel import shortages.