Page 10 - AfrElec Week 34 2022
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AfrElec HYDRO AfrElec
Rusumo Falls HPP on track
for completion in November
RWANDA THE Regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Pro- RRFHP project.
ject (RRFHP), a joint venture by Rwanda, Tanza- The power generation infrastructure is
nia, and Burundi, is 95% done with completion located at Rusumo Falls at the border of Tan-
on track for November, The East African reports. zania and Rwanda. The transmission lines will
Ground broke on the 80MW project in extend from the plant to Gitega in Burundi,
February 2012 with the aim of supplying elec- Kigali in Rwanda, and Nyakanazi in Tanzania.
tricity to the three neighbouring countries by The RRFHP will develop renewable hydro-
December 2021. The completion target date was electric power as part of a broader programme
extended by two years following procurement to support sustainable management of the Kag-
flaws that led to costs jumping 20%. era River Basin as well as promote growth and
The three governments received $468mn reduce poverty.
worth of grants and loans from multiple devel- Each country is expecting to add 26MW
opment partners, including the World Bank and directly to their national grids.
the African Development Bank (AfDB), for the
Uganda, DR Congo to protect River
Nyagak from generation
UGANDA UGANDA has joined forces with the Demo- 400MW in 2000 to 1,237MW as of October
cratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to protect the 2020, 80% of which is from hydropower. Peak
catchment areas of River Nyagak in a bid to cre- demand is about 800MW, according to the
ate enough water flow for downstream power regulator.
generation in Uganda, a local official has said, Akankwasa said bilateral efforts are being
The Monitor reports. made to ensure water catchment areas are pro-
National Environment Management Author- tected across the borders to ensure constant
ity (Nema) executive director Dr Barirega flow, but for now there is enough to generate the
Akankwasa made the announcement when required electricity.
appearing before Parliament’s Committee on The East African Community (EAC) is cur-
Environment and Natural Resources, which is rently discussing the water resource manage-
investigating the constant power crisis in West ment policy, “so we have an opportunity to
Nile. harmonise management of catchment areas
River Nyagak has its source stretching across when we are discussing this policy across the
the borders and flows to Uganda and will serve region,” he is quoted by The Monitor as saying.
the hydropower plants Nyagak One and Two, “As we do tree planting and river bank man-
which will generate about 3.5MW and 6.5MW agement and protection here, the same has to be
of power, respectively. taking place across the borders because what-
With about 40 power plants, Uganda’s total ever happens that side affects the flow of the
installed generation capacity has grown from river this side.”
P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 34 25•August•2022
