Energy Access in Peru

Peru has one of the lowest rural electrification rates in Latin America; currently, there are 4.2 million people living without access to electricity.¹ Read More
Approximately 1 in 3 rural households do not have access to electricity while about 1 in 2 households do not have public water supply.² Additionally, almost 80% of the rural population uses solid fuels (wood, dung, and coal) for cooking, thus creating excessive indoor air pollution.³
In addition to causing health impairments and environmental degradation, the lack of improved basic services is a large financial burden on rural families. Read More
The average per capita monthly income in rural Peru is S/. 377 ($134); however, for the poorest 10% of the population, the average per capita monthly income is even lower at S/. 124 ($44).⁴ Since the Peruvian government outlawed the use of kerosene in 2010, people now purchase diesel fuel which is more expensive and toxic than kerosene. Through field work, PowerMundo has determined that households spend approximately S/. 40 ($14) per month on all energy expenditures (diesel fuel, candles, batteries, and cell phone charging); thus, households are spending a significant portion of their total monthly income on energy expenditures. At times when families do not have enough money to purchase fuel or candles, they are forced to endure several nights of darkness per month.