Hydropower

Hydro Power in Rwanda

Over the last decade, Rwanda’s hydropower sector showed a tremendous progress. Overall installed capacity of power is about 390.04MW, hydropower contributing 39.6% of it.

This was achieved by involving private investors in the energy sector; Independent Power Producers (IPPs). Equally contributed to achievement in energy sector is a conducive legal and regulatory environment for private investors in this area.

Grid connected hydropower plants

37 hydropower plants are grid connected and account to 109.7MW. They include national and shared regional power plant.  Hydropower makes up approx. 39.6% of the total installed capacity.
Hydropower plants are publicly owned and operated, leased to private companies, or privately owned (IPP). The publicly owned power plants are managed by the national utility REG/EUCL. They include larger plants such as Ntaruka, Mukungwa and Nyabarongo I.

Off-grid micro hydropower plants

Currently, 11 micro hydropower plants MW exist in Rwanda as isolated networks. These plants were originally developed by the GoR, and handed over to private sector management to increase the private sector contribution in energy generation. GoR has recently leased out these sites to private investor to better operate, upgrade and connect them to the grid. There is also pico hydropower plants in the range of 1-10 kW which are either publicly owned and operated by the local communities or entirely private.