High-resolution data to detect meteorological sensitivity of health facilities’ electricity systems in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Abstract Reliable electricity is essential for healthcare delivery, particularly in resource-constrained settings vulnerable to weather extremes. This study investigated the associations between temperature extremes and precipitation anomalies and power quality and reliability (PQR) in 24 healthcare facilities across North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Using high-frequency sensor data and satellite-derived climate indices from May 2022 to October 2024, we assessed relationships between meteorological conditions (dry and wet extremes, heatwaves) and key PQR metrics: daily power source uptime, within-nominal voltage time, and within-nominal frequency time. Regression models incorporating monthly fixed effects revealed that small-scale hydroelectric systems, especially those with poor maintenance, were particularly sensitive to droughts and wet extremes, showing significant declines in voltage and within-nominal frequency time. Conversely, generator-based and utility-scale hydro facilities exhibited greater resilience, though not without vulnerability under extreme wet conditions. Hospital facilities consistently maintained higher power reliability than non-hospital facilities, likely due to superior infrastructure and management practices. Our findings highlight the need for targeted infrastructure investment, preventive maintenance, and diversified hybrid power solutions to ensure robust healthcare service delivery under increasing weather variability.