ENGL
KINYThe Ministry of Infrastructure has continuously supported the development of back-end infrastructure that has provided an increasingly firmer foundation for development for the country over the last 7 years. In order to achieve the desired development impact of the 7-Year Government Program, the Government of Rwanda adopted and implemented sound, comprehensive national policies, strategies and plans capable of adapting to dynamic factors such as economic and population growth, natural resources constraints and dispersed settlement patterns.
The performance in the key areas over the last 7 years feeds into the targets that were set in the 7-Year Government Program (by 2017) and other key objectives as outlined in the long-term national programs such as Vision 2020, EDPRS II, Sector Strategic Plan and other national priorities.
Access to safe, reliable and cost effective energy is essential to achieve the levels of growth defined in the national strategic documents.
Energy is a critical productive sector that can catalyse broader economic growth and contribute significantly to the achievement of the country’s ambitious socioeconomic transformation agenda.
It is projected that by 2018, the installed electricity generation capacity will be 563MW, and access to electricity nationwide will reach 70% (48% on-grid and 22% off-grid), with priority to the electrification of economic areas.
Generation of and access to electricity
Over the last 7 years, more efforts in the energy sector have been directed towards diversified butbalanced power production and supply to meet the national targets. As a result, electricity generation capacity increased from 98MW in 2010 to 190 MW by October 2016.
This resulted in a rapid increase in electricity access whereby grid connections through the government’s Electricity Access Roll-out Programme (EARP) and related initiatives increased from about 110,000 households in 2010 to 590,000 households by August 2016. On average, 75,000 new households have been added to the grid each year for the past five years. This is an increase in electricity access from 10.8% in 2011 to 24.3% on grid and 2.6% off-grid by 2016.
The implemented and completed projects that contributed to this achievement include:
ü Nyabarongo Hydro-Electric Power Plant, 28MW: Plant commissioned in November 2014 and fully operational at 28MW.
ü An 8.5MW solar project constructed by GigaWatt Global is operational in Rwamagana district.
ü In the period July 2011-June 2014, a total of 14.338MW from 13 micro-hydropower plants (Nkora, Cyimbili, Keya, Mazimeru, Musarara, Janja, Mukungwa II, Nyirabuhombohombo, Nyabahanga, Nshili I, Gashashi, Rukarara II and Giciye I) have been commissioned. For efficient management of these plants, the Government of Rwanda on 5th August 2015 approved the leasing of 15 MHPPs and the concession of 7 others.
ü Giciye II micro-hydropower plant (4MW) was commissioned in May 2016.
ü KivuWatt phase1 (energy production from methane gas in Lake Kivu) has been commissioned in December 2015 and is now operational with 25MW.
ü Another 23MW(15MW Gishoma which is under commissioning, 8MW Kivuwatt) will be added this financial year 2016/17, increasing electricity generation from the current 190 MW to 213 MW.
ü Street lighting: in the 7 years from 2010 to 2016, street lighting has been installed on a length of 464.5km, reaching a total length of 634.9km covered by street lamps today compared to 170.4km in 2010, which is an increase of 272.6%.
To improve the quality of power supply and reduce losses, a number of transmission lines and related substations were constructed and others are under construction to allow power evacuation and trade across the region. These also include regional interconnection lines such as the 220kV transmission lines Mirama-Birembo (Uganda-Rwanda); Karongi – Rubavu – Goma transmission line; the feasibility studies for the 220kV line Kigoma – Huye – Ngozi – Gitega (Rwanda-Burundi); and the feasibility studies for the 220kV line Rusumo – Shango (Tanzania-Rwanda).
There are major projects in the pipeline that will substantially increase the current installed capacity. These include the 50MW Symbion (methane gas to power), the 80MW Hakan (peat to power), and regional projects such as 80MW Rusumo and 147MW Rusizi III that are in advanced stages. In addition, there are 7privately owned hydropower plants with a total capacity of 16MW that are under construction, with commercial operation dates planned in the very near future.
Solar Energy generation
Energy sources were also diversified and the following achievements were recorded:
ü An 8.5MW solar project constructed by GigaWatt Global is operational in Rwamagana district.
ü In January 2016, the Government of Rwanda signed an agreement with Ignite Power Ltd, a Mauritian firm, for the implementation of a rural off-grid stand-alone solar electrification project.
ü 50 health centres and 300 schools were equipped with solar photo-voltaic panels.
ü Energy-saving bulbs are being used for street lighting on the main roads. This saved energy and contributed to environmental protection.
ü 2,022 solar water heaters have been installed.
In order to reduce high consumption of biomass, mainly in the form of firewood and charcoal, to achieve the long-term target of reducing wood consumption from 94% to 50% by 2018, 6,188 biogas digesters were constructed for both households and institutions; improved cooking stoves dissemination was done and completed at 70% countrywide and production units were constructed in 15 districts; and trainings was given on the construction of biogas digesters. Furthermore, an awareness campaign on the use of LPG is ongoing countrywide with the main focus on cities and peri-urban areas.
For security purposes and effective use of fuel,storage facilities were constructed and the strategic reserve storage capacity reached 72 million litres by June 2016 from 31 million litres in 2012. In partnership with the private sector, there are plans to install an additional 60 million litres of fuel storage this financial year. This is being done to ensure that there is at least a reserve margin of 3 months.
Policies and strategies frameworks
The following policies and strategies were approved in the energy sector over the last 5 years:
ü The Rwanda Energy Policy (REP) and Energy Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) were approved by the Cabinet in March 2015.
ü The Rwanda Energy Investment Plan was approved in November 2015 by the Scaling up Renewable Energy Plan (SREP) Subcommittee.
ü The Rural Electrification Strategy (RES) was approved by the Cabinet on 27th April 2016.
ü The Sustainable Energy for All Action Agenda (SE4All) was officially launched during the Rwanda Energy Infrastructure Forum (iPAD) held on 1st November 2016. The Action Agenda highlights the country’s plans to achieve universal electricity access with a combination of both grid extension and off-grid solutions for the most isolated areas. Rwanda also intends to achieve universal access to clean cooking solutions by 2030, with 100% share of sustainable biomass and reducing the share of charcoal in urban areas.