Power Transmission Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranche 3)

The need for the cancelation of loan savings would be avoided by using realistic cost estimates during project preparation, as pointed out in the project completion report, is an appropriate lesson. However, this validation notes that the actual project cost was 28% lower than appraisal estimates, but the reduction in total ADB loan was 45%, i.e., from an estimate of $463 million to $253 million at program closing. The lower program cost reflected high-cost estimates, but higher counterpart funding was the bigger factor in the cancelation of the loan savings.