Identify and pursue strategies for rigorous, yet cost-effective measurement and monitoring of technical performance of the electricity network, with emphasis on options that are independent of electric utility operations and/or are built into utility strengthening programming. From the early stages of the compact, MCC collaborated with MCA-Malawi and the independent evaluator on a strategy to procure and install feeder electronic meters at carefully selected points on Malawi’s electric grid, in order to measure energy flows over time and derive high-frequency data on key performance measures related to the technical benefits (e.g. system losses, outages, load shedding) of planned infrastructure investments. This was intended to enable rigorous detection, and ultimately confirmation of, the improvements in power reliability and availability that were expected to drive ultimate impacts for beneficiaries. As described in greater detail in the Infrastructure Development Project evaluation, the quality and completeness of the data that was ultimately collected did not enable as thorough or rigorous of an analysis as originally envisioned, owing to a range of coordination and implementation challenges that arose throughout each stage of the efforts procure and install equipment and ultimately gather the data. While a fuller assessment of these experiences will be developed internally by MCC, a major factor underlying the challenges was due to a high reliance on coordination with the electric utility throughout the process, as well as interoperability issues with its data systems. While novel technologies for measuring grid performance are becoming more widespread, future strategies to develop and deploy measurement technology should be designed to succeed with minimal dependence on the utility operator, and consider alternatives where independent providers are able to fully integrate and execute a strategy for equipment design, supply and installation as well as data collection, aggregation and analysis. In parallel to this strategy, MCC should include investments to improve data generation and reporting as part of its utility strengthening programs, and integrate these endeavors into project plans where possible, especially when existing utility data systems do not produce reliable data on core elements of grid performance (e.g. losses and outages). Such efforts could produce data that would serve both M&E’s purposes and the utility’s over the longer term.
Lesson Learned