Kilombero Energy Social Enterprise (K-ESE) was a project to provide electricity to low-income communities in the Kilombero District of the Morogoro Region of Tanzania, situated between the Eastern Arc range of mountains on the west and the Kilombero River on the east. This is a rural part of Tanzania, dependent on subsistence farming (mainly rice and maize). There is currently no access to electricity and both the national Rural Energy Agency and the regional development agency support the development of a mini-grid for this region. In 2014, the Government of Tanzania decided to extend the national grid to the proposed project area.
Helios SE had intended to build a distribution grid to connect 13 villages, covering a geographical area of 250 km2, with a population of some 70,000. It was anticipated that connections to the mini-grid would initially total over 10,000 dwellings, established local commercial enterprises and facilities such as water pumps, grain mills, saw mills, shops and tea houses, and 200 public loads such as schools and healthcare facilities.
The project was also designed to provide energy kiosks for charging of batteries and other operative tasks, thus providing more reliable and cleaner energy for those unable, or too poor, to connect to the mini-grid.