14
Oct

Lake Kivu is a unique and contains various natural resources playing an important role in the country’s economic development through the exploitation of its methane gaz, fishing as well as various recreation and tourism activities. 

All activities in this lake, should be done with precaution so that they do not disturb the lake’s ecosystem and its surrounding environment and even affect the national economy in general.

In that regard, the Government of Rwanda, through REG’s subsidiary company in charge of energy Development, EDCL (Energy Development Corporation Ltd. ), under its Lake Kivu Monitoring Program (LKMP), is  constructing a modern laboratory worth more than Rwf 2 billion, which will be used for the monitoring of the stability of Lake Kivu, in order to ensure its sustainability. 

The LKMP program leader, Umutoni Augusta, says that this Laboratory will enable the program monitor the lake in a  more advanced, efficient and effective manner.

 “We used to monitor the lake with only one methane gaz plant operating, which is Kivuwatt. In the near future,  two new additional methane to power plants will start operating. Those are Shema Power Lake Kivu Ltd as well as GazMeth. It’s obvious that our job scope will increase enormously and we’ll need a bigger number of staff who will consequently need more working space” said Umutoni. 

Umutoni also said that a thorough inspection of the lake is done through various  steps including  on-plant inspection, near plant monitoring as well as the lakewide inspection. 

“This laboratory will enable us to do thorough inspections on many power plants. We’ll use more sophisticated equipment and we’ll also have more space for our staff”. 

Umutoni says that Lake Kivu is a unique lake, unlike anything else in the world, and therefore, many researchers want to use it in various studies. Therefore, the lab will help increase collaboration with the world’s experts, who want to study the lake.

Once completed, this laboratory will be used to train Rwandans in various fields such as biology, chemistry, geology and geography, as it will have special equipment that can’t be found elsewhere in the Great Lakes Region.