For many people, electricity is so woven into everyday life that it is almost invisible. It keeps food fresh, charges phones, connects people to the internet, and lights the journey home.

But around the world, an estimated 750 million people still live without access to electricity. Millions more are connected to an electricity network but still experience frequent outages, limited hours of supply, or costs that make electricity difficult to use consistently.

That distinction matters. Energy access is not simply about producing more electricity or connecting more buildings to a power line. It is also about making sure electricity reaches the people and places that need it — reliably, affordably, and safely.

What Does “Electricity Access” Actually Mean?

Electricity access is not simply about whether a home, school, or clinic is connected to a power line. It is about whether people can get enough electricity to meet their needs, at a price they can afford, and without frequent interruptions.

The World Bank’s Multi-Tier Framework for energy access considers several factors:

• How much electricity is available and what it can power.
• How many hours it is available during the day and evening.
• How often the supply is interrupted.
• Whether the voltage is stable enough to use appliances safely.
• Whether the cost is manageable for the people using it.
• Whether the connection is legal, safe, and properly managed.

The framework measures electricity access on a scale from no electricity at all to a reliable supply that can support a household or facility’s electricity needs.

For example, a small solar system that powers a light and charges a phone provides a basic level of access. However, it may not generate enough electricity to run a refrigerator, computer, or irrigation pump.

At a higher level of access, a household or facility has enough reliable power to operate several appliances for most or all of the day.

This is why being connected does not always mean having meaningful access. Energy policy must look beyond the number of new connections and consider the reliability, affordability, safety, and capacity of the electricity people receive.

Reliable Power Can Help Health Workers Save Lives

Electricity supports almost every part of modern health care. It powers lights in delivery rooms, diagnostic equipment, oxygen concentrators, sterilization systems, communications technology, and the refrigerators needed to store vaccines and medicines safely.

Yet close to 1 billion people are served by health care facilities with no electricity or an unreliable supply, according to the World Health Organization.

In sub-Saharan Africa, half of health care facilities experience unreliable power, while more than 1 in 10 have no electricity at all.

Connecting every clinic to the main electricity network can take time, particularly in remote areas. One alternative is to install solar panels and batteries directly at a clinic. The panels generate electricity during the day, while the batteries store power for use at night or when the sun is not shining.

Governments, energy providers, development institutions, businesses, and philanthropic organizations can help finance and install these systems. Clear safety standards, local technical training, and funding for maintenance can help keep them operating over time.

Electricity Creates Better Conditions for Learning

Electricity can change what is possible inside and outside the classroom. It can provide lighting, power computers and communications equipment, and connect students and teachers to digital learning resources.

However, access remains uneven. The United Nations reports that approximately one-quarter of primary schools worldwide still lack electricity, with some of the largest gaps found in sub-Saharan Africa.

Electricity alone cannot guarantee a quality education. Schools also need trained teachers, safe facilities, and suitable learning materials. But reliable power provides a foundation that allows many educational resources to work.

This is why energy and education policies need to connect. An electrification plan focused only on households could leave a nearby school or clinic without power. Coordinated planning can help make sure new electricity systems also reach classrooms, health facilities, water systems, and other essential services.

Electricity access is also closely connected to digital connectivity. Mobile networks, internet services, computers, and data infrastructure all require power. Planning for electricity and connectivity together can help more students use digital learning tools and access information.

Reliable Electricity Can Expand Economic Opportunity

Electricity powers the equipment, communications, and services on which local economies depend.

For a farmer, it can operate an irrigation pump or keep produce refrigerated. For a small store, it can keep products cold and support digital payments. For a young entrepreneur, it can provide access to online training, customers, and new markets.

The World Bank describes electricity as a foundation for jobs and economic growth, supporting activities ranging from commercial agriculture and food processing to manufacturing and digital services.

Reliability matters, too. Frequent outages can interrupt production, damage equipment, spoil temperature-sensitive products, and force businesses to use expensive backup generators.

Affordability must also be considered. An electricity connection will have limited impact if households and businesses cannot afford to use it. Energy projects must therefore consider not only how to connect more people, but also how to provide electricity at a manageable price.

Reliable Electricity Helps Essential Services Prepare for Disruptions

Reliable electricity can help communities prepare for extreme weather and other emergencies. It can power warning systems, communications networks, water services, health facilities, and emergency shelters when they are needed most.

Energy infrastructure can itself be affected by storms, floods, heat, and other disruptions. The IEA notes that electricity systems need to be planned with reliability and resilience in mind, particularly as weather conditions place new pressures on power supplies.

Planning may include stronger electricity networks, backup power, battery storage, and smaller systems that can continue operating if another part of the network fails.

This is what resilience means in energy policy: building electricity systems that can continue supporting essential services when conditions change or a disruption occurs.

Why Can’t Every Community Simply Join the Main Grid?

National grids remain essential, particularly in cities and areas that require large amounts of electricity. But extending power lines across long distances can be slow and expensive, especially when communities are remote or spread across a wide area.

That is where mini-grids and stand-alone solar systems can help.

A mini-grid is a smaller electricity network that serves a particular community or group of buildings. A stand-alone system might power one home, school, clinic, or business.

According to the 2025 Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report, decentralized energy systems provided 55% of new electricity connections in sub-Saharan Africa between 2020 and 2022.

Choosing between a grid connection, mini-grid, and stand-alone system depends on the location, cost, population, and amount of electricity required. Reaching everyone will require different combinations of these options in different places.

What Does Policy Have to Do With Paying for Electricity?

Building an electricity system costs money. Funding is needed to buy and install equipment such as solar panels, batteries, power lines, and household connections. Money is also needed to pay the people who operate, maintain, and repair these systems.

Energy companies and project developers often borrow money to cover these costs. In some countries, loans may carry higher interest rates when lenders identify financial, economic, or project-related risks. Higher borrowing costs can make an electricity project more expensive, delay construction, or stop it from going ahead.

Governments, development institutions, businesses, and philanthropic organizations can work together to reduce these costs. They might provide grants that do not need to be repaid, offer loans with lower interest rates, or agree to cover part of the loss if a project experiences financial difficulties.

Public or philanthropic funding can also be combined with private investment, allowing the organizations involved to share the cost and financial risk.

Clear policies help investors understand how projects will be approved, how electricity prices will be decided, and who will maintain the service. These decisions affect whether a project can attract funding and provide electricity at a manageable price.

How Global Citizen NOW: Perth Fits In

Expanding access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy is a central priority for Global Citizen NOW: Perth, taking place from Oct. 18-20, 2026, in Western Australia.

The summit will bring together  leaders from government, business, philanthropy, First Nations and Indigenous communities, academia, and civil society to advance  policies, investment, and partnerships needed to expand clean energy access.

Energy access will be considered alongside digital connectivity, which can support education, entrepreneurship, jobs, and access to information. First Nations, Indigenous, and Pacific leaders will help shape discussions about land, natural resources, resilience, and how energy projects can respond to local priorities.

As the culmination of Global Citizen’s year-long clean energy campaign, Global Citizen NOW: Perth will seek commitments to expand reliable and affordable electricity access to as many as 4 million homes and deliver at least 2.5 gigawatts of additional renewable energy capacity.

Universal energy access cannot be measured by counting connections alone. It means providing electricity that people and essential services can afford, rely on, and use safely.

Achieving that will require suitable infrastructure, long-term investment, clear policies, technical expertise, and local knowledge. Global Citizen NOW: Perth will bring these elements together to advance practical commitments on energy access across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.