By:

Mohamed LatheefManaging Director

State Electric Company LimitedMale’

Maldives

Cross Border Energy Trade and Energy Grid

in the Maldives

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Interconnection between neighboring countries to

Maldives

564 km

728 km

185 Inhabited islands scattered

over a 865 km from North to South 865

km

564 km

728 km

Statistics

Total Population 298,968

Population in Male’ 102,377

Percentage in Male’ 34%

Total number of Islands 1190

Inhabited Islands 185

Number of Atolls 26

Administrative Provinces 7

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Maldives

Capital City

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Male’ (Capital City)

Thilafushi(Industrial)

Villingili(inhabited island)

Male’ International Airport

Hu

lhu

ma

le’

(De

ve

lop

ing

Cit

y)

Greater Male’ Region) Gulhifalhu(Developing

City)

Submarine cable is very expensive Male’-Hulhumale’: Estimated US$26.4 million

Male’-Villingilli: Estimated US$10.9 million

Villingilli-Thilafushi: Estimated US$26 millionSource: “Maldives Submarine Cable Interconnection Pre-Feasibility Study” prepared for USAID/SARI-Energy, by

SNC Lavalin and PA Government Services, Inc. (April 2010).

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The State Electric Company Limited (STELCO) is a 100% state ownedenterprise responsible for the generation, distribution and sale ofelectricity to consumers throughout the North Central Province (NCP) ofthe Republic of Maldives.

North Central Province consists of 4 atolls including Male’ atoll.

Electricity was first provided to the public back in 1949, with a 14kWgenerator supplying electricity to only 50 consumers of Male’.

Over the 63 years of service, the institution was re-named from ElectricityDepartment to Maldives Electricity Board (MEB) and then on 19 June1997 the name was changed by a Presidential’s Decree to State ElectricCompany Limited (STELCO).

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STELCO now provide its services to 28 islands in NCP with over 33,000consumers and total installed capacity of 78MW covering 37% of thepopulation of Maldives.

Diesel power plants are mainly used in STELCO

1 MW of Solar PV installed in Male’ and few other islands under variousprojects.

The company, although caters to 37% of the population, provides about70% of the electricity generated in the whole country (excluding resorts).This is due to the relatively high energy consumption of the capital zone.

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Current peak demand in Male’ is 43MW

Total Installed capacity is 61MW

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7.20 7.20 7.20 7.20

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

35.00

40.00

45.00

50.00

55.00

60.00

65.00

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

[MW

]

Year

Largest Gen-set Out (8/9)

DG 8+9 / 16.0 MW (MAN)

TMP 9-15 / 10.08 MW (Cummins at Gaakoshi PH)

TMP 7-8 / 3.2 MW (Cummins at Canteen area)

TMP 1-6 / 5.4MW (Cummins at Fenmeeru Hingun)

DG 1 - 7 / 26.6 MW (Wartsila)

Peak Load Actual

Linear Peak Load

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Male’ is very congested No available space. Exhaust Emission Limitations• When the current power project is completed power plant

emission will reach to maximum acceptable limit

Power System Protection• Will reach maximum allowable production capacity

based on system Voltage (appx.55MW)

Network Overloading• Male’ 11kV distribution network requires upgrading and

expansion in the near future Power Generation outside capital island Male’ is the only

option for expansion

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• Hulhumale’

• Land is available

• Future load center

• Minimal distance (economically more viable)

• Thilafushi

• Land is available

• Future load center (commercial activities)

• Long distance

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14

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Average size of each island is small

Population less than 1000 on average

Power demand is low

Cost of operation very high

Revenue is small

Operational loss

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Improves reliability and system efficiency

Phase 1: Interconnect islands in the same reef More than 2 islands in the same reef

These power systems can be interconnected

Possibility of having larger power plants

Phase 2: Interconnect islands across 2 or more reefs within the atoll.

Phase 3: Interconnect the grids across atolls.

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Until 2012, all our energy production was from diesel (MGO)

GoM has announced its desire to become carbon neutral by 2020

GoM is committed to produce energy from renewable sources

Solar and wind seems the most favorable to Maldives – however studies suggest that wind power is less favourable than solar.

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Financial & economic barriers Initial investment large Difficulty in getting finance/loans due to high risk of projects

Availability of space for installations Male’

Area is small and few large roof tops Cannot get big space in one area

For islands Space may be available in some islands but still limited in most islands Nearby offshore options available

Expansion of RE investments at commercial scale also requires an interconnected grid

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21

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Limitations on the level of RE injection Small & Independent Grids Limitation on direct feed RE systems Requires larger grids Submarine cable

Technical Limited Expertise

Institutional & Regulatory Need a framework to encourage RE technologies Policies need to be formulated and implemented at a

national level This is being done by Ministry of Environment and

Energy

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Currently each island is an independent power grid

National grid will remove this disadvantage

Financial & Technical difficulties due to the unique geographic nature of the country

Maldives can take benefit from the energy grid:

Eliminates the constraints on power expansions

Help to reduce the price of electricity

Increase stability & efficiency

Land issue will also be solved

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For Male’, demand continues to grow at a very fast rate (12 – 15 % per annum)

Having challenges in power expansion

Further challenges in RE investments

Power expansion limited by the need for a Grid

Constraints on Grid interconnections due to financial and economic issues

A regional grid will give a lot of advantage for the case of Maldives

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