… Hospital to save near 80% electricity
BY PHUMELELE MKHOONTA
MBABANE– Electricity expenses woes will be a thing of the past at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital.
In a move to promote sustainability, the Government of Eswatini, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has constructed a gigantic one-megawatt solar plant at the above-mentioned hospital.
The solar power plant will assist the hospital save power costs by 80 percent to provide more services at one of Eswatini’s largest healthcare facilities.
Through the two above-mentioned partners, the project was funded by the Italian Government.
According to initial reports, the project cost US$2.17 million (E38.6 million), meaning the RFM Hospital would cut the energy bill by US$176 714 (E3.1 million) per year.
Taking it to its official social media pages, UNDP Eswatini said the underway solar plant will also reduce emissions by 200 tons of carbon dioxide at one of Eswatini’s major hospitals.
“Through funding from the Italian Government, we were able to support this project.”
When sought for comment, UNDP Communications Specialist Mantoe Phakathi confirmed the project, however, she could not comment any further.
In the meantime, the Communications Officer to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, Sikelela Khoza, said they appreciated the work that was being done by the UNDP, stating that partnering with them has birthed many fruits.
“We are excited that clean ways to generate energy in the hospital have been explored being mindful of the fact that the main universal focus is to revert to renewable energy mainly because it does not emit waste,” said Khoza.
He also said this was great news for the hospital as they were going to restructure their budget because they would be spending less on energy (electricity) bills.
“This is a sign that the country is on the road to self-sustainable energy,” said the communications officer. UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty and build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change and connect countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life.
