Nyabarongo hydro power plant among mega Indian investments in Rwanda
A cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame last night officially handed over to Rwanda Energy Group (REG) the management of power plants supplying over 42MW to the country’s electricity grid.
The Power plants handed over include; Nyabarongo – currently producing 28MW to the national grid, Mukungwa and Ntaruka jointly producing 14MW, as well as Nshili, Nyabahanga Micro Hydro Plants and Gatsata, Jabana I & Jabana II Thermal Plants.
With the takeover of REG, government wants the energy supplier to efficiently exploit the plants to help the country fast track energy deficits.
The current generation capacity is 208MW compared to 563MW needed before end of next year to connect 70% of Rwanda’s households to electricity.
In March 2015, President Kagame inaugurated a $108.7million first phase of Nyabarongo Hydro Electric power house located in Muhanga district in Southern Rwanda.
With two units of 14 megawatts, Nyabarongo I is the largest Hydro-power plant in Rwanda.
According to Infrastructure Minister James Musoni, the plant has helped the country save up to $3 million per month, an amount previously spent on diesel generators to produce power.
In February this year, India’s Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari met President Kagame while on a visit to Rwanda and promised his two home country Engineering companies subcontracted to build an extra 17MW second phase of Nyabarongo Hydro Electric power will complete it on time.
The two Indian companies; Bharath Heavy Electrical Ltd (BHEL) and Angelique International Ltd (AIL), successfully completed Nyabarongo I after a bilateral agreement signed on July 8, 2008 between Rwanda and India.
