Imagine developing a plan to create a rural electric cooperative from scratch. Think about everything that would need to be accomplished, from the legal framework to the staffing plan to line construction and beyond.

Now, think about everything that would be necessary to establish 27 different electric cooperatives.

This is exactly what NRECA International is doing - this time, in Yemen, a country in the Middle East that is embarking upon an ambitious program to expand access to electricity in rural areas.

Bordered by Oman and Saudi Arabia on the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen has limited oil and natural gas reserves and a predominantly rural population that has limited access to electricity and other modern infrastructure.

Eric Gibbs, who is managing NRECA International's technical assistance projects in Yemen, said, "There's a tremendous need for all types of development in all sectors in Yemen. Electricity will immediately improve the quality of life for rural Yemenis, and will be a key input to job creation and rural development."

Since 2005, NRECA International has been collaborating with the Yemeni government, World Bank, and other organizations to develop and implement a national rural electrification (RE) program. This plan includes the creation of a new rural electrification agency to manage and oversee program implementation and the formation and organization of new rural electric service providers, including consumer-owned and operated rural electric cooperatives.

Gibbs said, "We have the opportunity to fundamentally change how electricity is delivered in a country that desperately needs it. If this program moves forward in the way in which we designed it, it will make a difference in the lives of millions of rural people in Yemen."

First and Foremost

Before NRECA International can collaborate with local and international agencies to develop all 27 cooperatives, it must first successfully create one.

As such, work on the Ibb Rural Electric Cooperative (IREC) is underway. NRECA International, acting as an institutional advisor to the Ministry of Electricity and Energy, is working with the local government and other agencies to ensure laws that protect and regulate electric cooperatives are in place. It is also developed a comprehensive business and organizational plan, formed a Steering Committee of local representatives, and is preparing an informational campaign to provide greater awareness of the new framework for electric service in the project area.

"IREC represents the start of a new era in rural electrification planning, organization, and service delivery in Yemen," Gibbs said. "Once we've successfully completed work on this, it will be a model to expand electric service in rural areas in Yemen."

NRECA International would like your help in accomplishing this. Read more about how you and your cooperative can get involved.

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