Page 11 - AfrElec Week 22 2021

AfrElec INVESTMENT AfrElec

AfDB to lend $84mn to Rwanda to

boost electricity access

RWANDA THE African Development Bank (AfDB) board Rwanda is the 80-MW Regional Rusumo hydro-
has approved $84.22mn in loans and grants power plant (HPP), which is set to open by the
to electrify nearly 80,000 rural households in end of 2021.
southern Rwanda. The $340mn regional Rusumo hydropower
The project will advance the country’s goal of project will generate power using water from the
universal electrification and benefit small busi- Akagera river, which is one of the sources of the
nesses and youth. River Nile. It flows into Lake Victoria and thence
The funds comprise a loan of $36.77mn from into the Nile.
the Bank Group’s African Development Fund The plant is expected to add about 26.6 MW
and a $47.45mn ADF grant. to each of the beneficiary states – Rwanda,
The Transmission System Reinforcement and Burundi and Tanzania – and strengthen the
Last Mile Connectivity project will provide first- regional power interconnection between the
time electricity connection for 77,470 house- countries.
holds to the grid, entailing the construction of The RUEAP project also draws from two of
595 km of medium-voltage distribution lines the Bank’s High-5 strategic priorities: Light Up
and 1,620 km of low-voltage distribution net- and Power Africa and Improve the Quality of
works in six southern Rwanda districts. Life for the People of Africa.
The project will also see the upgrade, rehabil- The project is expected to improve power
itation and extension of 1,720 km of low-voltage supply reliability and stability across the coun-
network, and distribution of transformers in sec- try, expand electricity access and contribute to
ondary cities with high load. reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by
The project is part of the Rwanda Universal enabling access to clean energy.
Energy Access Programme (RUEAP), which The project is also expected to bolster edu-
seeks, among other goals, to achieve universal cation by extending students’ access to light for
access to electricity by 2024. It is also aligned with study, and benefit small and medium enterprises
the country’s long-term development frame- (SMEs) while enhancing job creation for the
work, Vision 2050. youth. ™
Also crucial for universal access to power in

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