Implications of Alleviating Unreliable Electricity Supply for Energy Poverty: Evidence from Households in Benin

The energy poverty challenge in African countries extends beyond mere access to electricity, encompassing affordability and reliability of power. Hence, households on the continent often incur additional expenses on defensive measures to cope with reliability issues like blackouts and voltage fluctuations. However, energy poverty assessments often do not account for these costs, leading to underestimation issues, particularly in Africa.

This study concentrates on the power sector, utilizing Benin as a case study to underscore the significance of additional electricity costs and their role in pushing a significant portion of households into energy poverty.