The quality electricity supply in Gatsibo and Nyagatare districts is expected to stabilize after a Rwf 5.5 billion power substation facility was inaugurated in Gabiro sector, Gatsibo district.The new facility was inaugurated by the Minister of infrastructure, Honorable GATETE Claver together with other officials including Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Energy Group (REG),  Ron Weiss and Mayors from Nyagatare and Gatsibo districts. According to Minister GATATE,this is a 28^th completed substation facility countrywide, with the capacity of 20MW. It will reduce power losses, stabilize the next work operations, improve power supply and also increase both the quality and the quantity of power supply inthese respectivedistricts.

“The two districts have been experiencing large-scale power outages and power losses, since this facility is completed, this issue is fixed “, CEO REG noted. He added that,20 per cent of energy is lost through poor and old power facilities and this has hindered progress and resulted into the need to construct new substations and upgrade the existing ones.

Rwanda's energy sector continues to grow in all chain of power supply, from electricity generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure. Rwanda’s prime targets by the year 2024 include 100% access to electricity in Rwanda, addition of over 300 MW to the current installed generation capacity as well as a strengthened distribution and transmission network eradicating blackouts and reducing power losses up to 15%. Today, about 51% of Rwandan households have access to electricity while the installed generation capacity is 221.1MW.

A big part of the Eastern Province was previously being supplied by one feeder from Kabarondo substation up to Kagitumba passing by Kayonza (KKK). Given the long distance of the feeder and the development in the area which increased the number of big and small electricity consumers, KKK feeder was overloaded resulting into frequent delays in network restoration.

As a solution to this issue, the Government of Rwandainitiated a project to build a new 110/30kV substation in Gatsibo District and extend the existing Musha Substation and connect them to a new transmission line from Rulindo to Musha. The objective was to form an Eastern Ring Network leading to improved reliability and quality of power supply to customers and reduction of losses.

Gabiro substation, now completed and already energized has sectioned the former long distance KKK feeder into three major feeders which are Nyagatare, Kiziguro and Ngarama. Faults on any of these feeders will be easy to find and repaired, hence ensuring the reliability and quality of power supply to the customers.