10
Oct

Rwanda Energy Group (REG) expresses its appreciation for the new methane gas to power plant construction project which, once completed, will generate 56 Mw to be added to Rwanda’s national grid. REG says that the project will contribute to the target of 100% electrification by the year 2024. 

This project kicked off on 03rd October 2019 and will be implemented by a private company called “Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited” (SPLK Ltd) in partnership with the Rwandan Government. It will cost 200 million USD.  

The Chief Executive Officer of REG, Eng. Ron Weiss, said that this project will contribute to Rwanda’s target to increase electricity generation capacity from MW 224.6 up to MW 556 by the year 2024.

 “As you know we have a target to connect all households in Rwanda by 2024, and it means the increase of the electricity that we need to produce. Also, we are trying to support as best a possible the economic growth, industries, agriculture, commercial activities, anything that is done in Rwanda in order to help the development of the country” he said. 

The agreement between SPLK Ltd  and the Rwandan Government stipulate that REG will build transmission line and subsequent substations to be able to connect the power plant to the grid for distribution of the generated power. 

“ The project itself  is 56 MW but the contract that we have with them is 50, if we will need more we will be able to buy more from them. This is not an easy project because the extraction of Methane gas is not easy, but we hope that they will succeed” he added. 

Eng. Ron Weiss said that to reach Rwanda’s 2024 energy targets, REG has in the pipeline many projects among which the Shema Power Lake Kivu is included. 

Some of these projects include Hakan Peat to power 70 MW that will be completed in 2020, Rusumo hydropower plant under construction with a capacity of 80 MW to be shared between Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania, Rusizi III which will have a capacity of 148 MW and Rwanda’s share will be 67MW as well as Nyabarongo II with 43.5 MW. 

“At the moment, we have enough power to serve the needs of today, but if we look forward to the big increase of demand, we need more power” added the CEO, Ron Weiss.