Emmanuel Gasana the Governor of Rwanda’s Eastern Province together with the Regional Commissioner Kagera Region (Tanzania) and the Governors of Kirundo and Muyinga Provinces of Burundi have visited the Regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project to track the progress of the works set to complete by December 2022, local media reported Wednesday.
The shared resource is being developed at the Rusumo Falls on River Kagera located at the common border of the Republic of Rwanda and United Republic of Tanzania and about 25 kilometers from Burundi.
The Regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project was launched on the 30th, March, 2017 with an installed capacity of 80 MW (Run of River Scheme at 1320masl) that will be shared equally among Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania.
The transmission lines will extend from the power generation plant to Gitega in Burundi, Kigali in Rwanda, and Nyakanazi in Tanzania.
This project will develop renewable hydroelectric power as part of a broader program to support sustainable management of the Kagera River Basin and promote growth and poverty reduction.
The project upon completion will facilitate increased economic activities, private sector development, and investments in social infrastructure and services through improved access to electricity.
The project is worth US$340Million and US$128Million that have advanced to the countries as a loan from the World Bank and African Development Bank for the implementation of the Regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric project and the Power transmission lines respectively.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the construction works are at 80% against 59% in 2019. The works slowed in 2020, but now restored back on track and expected to meet the target.
According to minister Claver Gatete of Rwanda, the first unit has started production worth 27MW since December 2021 and the other two units are expected to follow by producing the same quantity of electricity to the grids of the member countries.
CU/abj/APA