Country Rwanda Impounds Kagera River Commission date 2018 (expected) Turbine 4 | Status Proposed Normal elevation 1,325 m (4,347 ft) Impound Kagera River | |
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Location Rusumo Falls, Kirehe District Similar Rusumo Falls, Rusumo Bridge, Kigali City Tower, Lake Kivu, Ruzizi River | ||
Rusumo Hydroelectric Power Station, also Rusumo Power Station, is a proposed hydropower plant, with initial planned capacity installation of 80 megawatts (110,000 hp) when completed. The project will involve the construction of a dam, with run of river design. A 90 megawatts (120,000 hp) reservoir design had been envisaged but was abandoned in favor of an 80 MW design with a smaller environmental impact and an estimated cost of US$300 million as opposed to US$400 million for the bigger project. The World Bank announced, on 6 August 2013, that it had approved loans totaling US$US$340 million towards the US$468.60 million needed for the project. In November 2013, the African Development Bank approved a loan of US$113 million towards the completion of the project.
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Location
The power station is on the Kagera River, along Rwanda's international border with the Republic of Tanzania and approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi), downstream of the tripoint, where the two countries share a common border with the Republic of Burundi. The site is at Rusumo Falls, near the town of Rusumo, approximately 160 kilometres (99 mi), by road, southeast of Kigali, the capital and largest city in Rwanda. Rusumo Falls lies approximately 65 kilometres (40 mi), by road, southeast of the provincial headquarters at Kibungo. The approximate coordinates of the power station are:2°22'56.0"S, 30°47'00.0"E (Latitude:-2.382222; Longitude:30.783333).
Other considerations
The power generated will be shared equally between the countries of Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania. The power will be evacuated from the generation plant via 220 kV transmission lines to transmission stations in Gitega in Burundi, a distance of 158 kilometres (98 mi), to Kigali in Rwanda, a distance of 115 kilometres (71 mi), and to Nyakanazi in Tanzania, a distance of 98 kilometres (61 mi).
Recent developments
In November 2016, two contracts that paved the way for construction of the power station were signed in Kigali, Rwanda. The first contract was between Rusumo Power Company Limited (RPCL), and a consortium of contractors, that includes a joint venture comprising CGCOC Group Limited and Jiangxi Water & Hydropower Construction Company Limited (CGCOC–JWHC JV). This contract provides for the performance of civil works, including supply and installation of hydro-mechanical equipment.
The second contract was signed between Rusumo Power Company Limited and a consortium of companies, including Rusumo Falls Andritz Hydro GmbH of Germany and Andritz Hydro PVT Limited of India, to carry out mechanical and electrical works for power generation.
As of November 2016, the projected cost of the project is $340 million, to be financed by the World Bank. The three high voltage transmission lines that will evacuate the power generated are projected to cost $121 million financed by the African Development Bank. Construction is planned to begin in January 2017.