Kigal, 29th September, 2014-Rwanda is set to add another 80 megawatts to its power grid to help address the current electricity shortage and respond to the growing demand for energy.

The additional electricity will be generated from a peat-fuelled plant set to be constructed in the southern Mamba Sector in Gisagara District, around the Akagera marshland.

The power plant, an investment of Hakan, a private Turkish company, will be the second of its kind in the country after the Gishoma peat plant, which is in its final stage of completion. Gishoma peat plant is set to generate 15MW.

The project will cost an estimated $265 million (Rwf177 billion) and the engineering activities are ongoing smoothly.

On 24^th September, 2014, the Minister of State in charge of Water and Energy, Hon. Germaine Kamayirese, and other officials visited the site to assess the ongoing activities

The plant is expected to start producing electricity by the end of 2017, and the second phase of the project is expected to start after 2017, with the capacity of producing 40 megawatts of power.

Hakan peat project will contribute to achieving government targets of generating 563 Megawatts by 2017, connecting at least 70 per cent of Rwanda’s households.

 Rwanda needs more investors in energy sector to generate more electrical energy for industrial and domestic use towards sustainable economic growth.

The country is already investing billions of francs in electrical energy production in order to meet its targets in line with its socio-economic development and poverty reduction strategy.

Among the areas that have received significant investment include hydro-electricity, methane gas and solar.

Electricity is considered as key factor in attracting investors and creating new business opportunities which can help transform the country’s economy.

The private sector involvement in energy investment will enhance increasing the country’s energy sources hence reducing the price of electricity.