Senegal Power Compact Transmission Project Evaluation

Mathematica’s evaluation of the Transmission Project will answer two evaluation questions:

1. To what extent was the project implemented according to plan (in terms of quantity and quality of outputs)?
2. Did the project achieve its stated objective, to provide quality electricity from the lowest cost sources available to Senelec to meet the growing demand on the interconnected network in Senegal, in the time frame and magnitude expected? Why or why not?

Our evaluation will answer these questions using a design that reflects the Transmission Project logic, which articulates how MCC expects the investments in grid infrastructure and improved management to lead to changes in key intermediate outcomes, such as reliability, stability, transformer losses, and congestion, and ultimately to the project objective, measured as the cost, quality, and quantity of electricity. To this end, Mathematica will carry out an implementation study and a mixed- methods outcome study, making use of data from a range of sources including: 

• Administrative data from the primary electricity utility, Senelec
• Customer survey data from the MCA-Senegal Baseline study (also carried out by Mathematica)
• Qualitative data from key stakeholders
• Load flow analysis and modelling of the new infrastructure 
• Grid monitor technology 

Mathematica’s design centers on capturing the quality of electricity experienced by Senegal’s ten high-voltage customers, who may be more likely to perceive (and be affected by) changes in the quality of electricity in the transmission system. Data collection will include the use of portable grid monitors to collect high frequency data on outages, voltage fluctuations, harmonics, and frequency within the premises of the HV customers and survey data from these customers to assess the effect of electricity quality on their productivity, labor, investment, and other measures.