IKEDC engaged EMRC to undertake the Optimization Model for Network Expansion (OMNI) to rank investments based on the value of Network Capacity Upgrade, Loss Reduction, and Network Reinforcement.

The model establishes the funds (cash/kWh) required to make investment decisions based on the payback period. The objectives of the OMNI model include:

• To use the results from the energy demand study done for IE to estimate the potential revenue from the unmet (unsuppressed and unconnected) demand if investments are made to bridge the demand gap;
• To identify the limitations on IE’s network infrastructure and the implications of the constraints; and
• To provide a platform to optimize network investments and to use the results to enable IE to determine areas to consider for sub-franchising, Islanding, mini-grid, peri-urban and rural areas.

Peri-urban are areas characterized by a huge concentration of very low-income families and high ATC&C losses (ANED, 2019)