New Delhi has provided a $3.5 million grant to back Seychelles government’s solar energy powered, real estate project that will provide 700 transit houses for people affected by disasters. The purpose of the ‘Transit Homes’ is to receive people affected by the disaster.
Some of the homes, built by Public Utilities Corporation (PUC), are currently located in Grand Anse, one of the islands of the archipelago. In all, PUC will provide a total of 700 housing units throughout the Seychelles Archipelago.
Speaking on the project, the executive director of PUC, Philip Morin, said the facilities we have built will help families mitigate the impact of their electricity bills. “We have installed a 3 kW unit on the roofs of three-bedroom homes; two-bedroom homes will have a 2 kW unit while one-bedroom homes will have 1 kW. This will reduce the impact of electricity bills on families and improve their lives,” he said
He explained that solar energy is an efficient source of energy that the government of the country of the Indian Ocean is working to promote. Morin pointed out that due to the scattered nature of the islands, the authorities are relying on small solar power plants and home-based solar kits such as those installed in transit houses.
“PUC will also install photovoltaic systems on low-cost houses. In addition, the company will install a 1 MW unit on Romainville Island for use in eligible homes under the project,” he said, adding that on islands affected by bad weather, transit houses are very important.
In 2017, 25 cases of domestic fires and other disasters were reported in Seychelles, while 21 incidents were reported in 2018. Also, eight other incidents since the beginning of this year have been recorded. In all these cases, the presence of extended families made it more difficult for them to relocate.
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