In brief
- The African Development Bank's November 2025 appraisal sets out 51 km of new medium-voltage lines and four 33/11 kV, 7.5 MVA substations for Bosaso under subcomponent I.2.
- These are design targets for a project the appraisal schedules for implementation in 2026 to 2030, not work completed.
- Board presentation was planned for 5 December 2025, so construction contracts and drawings had not yet followed from this document.
Contents
The African Development Bank set out the distribution works for Bosaso in a project appraisal report dated November 2025, covering subcomponent I.2 of the Rehabilitation and Expansion of Bosaso Power Grid and Strengthening of Energy Sector Institutions (ESPSEI). The appraisal places 51 km of new medium-voltage lines and four 33/11 kV substations in the design for the city's grid.
What the source records
Under subcomponent I.2, the African Development Bank states that 13 km of existing 15 kV network will be rehabilitated and replaced at 11 kV, alongside 36 km of new 33 kV lines and 15 km of new 11 kV lines, making 51 km of new medium-voltage lines. The Bank records four primary distribution substations of 33/11 kV at 7.5 MVA, twenty 11/0.4 kV pole-mounted transformers and ten load break switches. The combined medium-voltage network measured 32.823 km at the end of August 2024, per the African Development Bank. Subcomponent I.2 has UA 7.34 million allocated in the same source.
What it means on site
The stated benefits are connectivity for more customers, higher power transfer capacity with lower technical losses, interconnection of isolated medium-voltage networks, and better reliability and quality of supply. The mechanism is voltage and capacity: raising part of the network to 33 kV moves bulk power across the city, while 11 kV distribution and 11/0.4 kV transformers serve load. For anyone planning a connection or a standby supply, the sequence matters. Ask the Puntland Ministry of Energy, Minerals and Water which areas the 33 kV route serves and when each substation is due to be energised. Confirm the applicable voltage and protection arrangement as soon as the project's design documents exist for your area, since the source stops at the appraisal stage.
What the source does not establish
The document is an appraisal, not a construction record. Quantities are design targets for a project implementation period of 2026 to 2030, with board presentation planned for 5 December 2025. No contractor, route drawing, land position or completion date is established for any of the lines or substations, and the source does not describe the present condition of Bosaso's network. It also does not state who will operate the new assets, how connections and metering will be arranged, or what the tariff will be.
What to do next
Ask the Puntland Ministry of Energy, Minerals and Water, as implementing agency, for the current design status of subcomponent I.2: the 33 kV routes, substation land positions and expected energisation order. If you are a supplier, request the procurement plan and any published invitation to bid.
Frequently asked questions
Are the 51 km of lines and four substations already built?
No. The African Development Bank's November 2025 appraisal describes them as design targets for an implementation period of 2026 to 2030, not completed works.
Which office handles the Bosaso grid works?
The appraisal names the Puntland Ministry of Energy, Minerals and Water as implementing agency, with the Federal Ministry of Energy and Water Resources as executing agency.
Sources
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Bosaso and Puntland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.