Page 39 - EPSI Magazine Issue 8 final 2018.indd

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Small Hydro Power(SHP); probably the oldest ronmentally benign and having small gestation
yet the most reliable and environmentally friendly period has led many countries to resort to harness-
source of all renewable energy, whose bulk poten- ing SHP resources at the toe of existing dams to
tial yet to be harnessed in many countries including supplement the energy generation. Examples of
Uganda. Its development started with small units in SHP projects include; 18MW Rwegura hydroelec-
the beginning; however in East Africa among other tric plant in Burundi, 14MW Nyamwamba Power
developing countries the attention was concentrat- Station in Kasese Uganda, 9MW Kimbili Rukarara V
ed to harnessing medium and major hydro power plant in Rwanda, 8MW Nyumba ya Mungu plant in
projects by the then leaders (Europeans) because Tanzania, 5MW Juba Power Station in S.Sudan and
of their comparative economics. On the contrary, 2MW Gogo Power Station in Rongo District, Kenya.
Continuous industralisation with SHP being envi-

Table showing the hydro-power potential and installed capacity (MW) of SHP In East
African countries.

MW: Megawatts; n.a: not available SHP: Small Hydro-Power

Country MW Potential MW Installed % installed

Burundi 54 15.8 29.3%

Kenya 3000 33 1.1%

Madagascar n.a 22.5 n.a

Rwanda 38.2 23.2 60.7%

South Sudan 5 n.a n.a

Uganda 210 22.4 10.7%

Tanzania 310 25 8.1%

Total 6261.7 208.6 33.314

Source: “World small hydro-power development report”, www.smallhydroworld.org,

(2013)

IT/GIS in SHP mapping is first used in studies to Recognition of GIS and Remote Sensing and
prove the impacts of climate change not only on ex- its emerging universal employment has empha-
isting SHP plants, but also on all the potential sites sized the benefit of satellite remote sensing system
for resource mapping and simplifying the analysis for its vantage point in space study of the earth
of total hydropower potential on the country. This that provides unique opportunities for inventor-
has successfully been done in the USA, Norway and ing, mapping, and monitoring. Remote Sensing
many other developed countries, and has proved to can; show the quantity and pattern of deforesta-
be very useful. However, it’s important to consider tion, current and historical land use, identify load
the more cost effective I.T hardware and software centres and larger streams, locate rocky and ero-
that gives reliable results. This helps in finding all sion prone areas, and this provides a foundation
potentially good sites, with amply reasonable com- upon which all other digital data for potential
puting generation and capacity. SHP locations can be georeferenced to; compare
a great number of area-related data with their at-