BI-Jiji and Mulembwe Hydropower

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The development objective of the Jiji and Mulembwe Hydropower Project for Burundi is to increase the supply of clean and low cost hydropower electricity to Burundi's national grid. The project has three components. The first component, hydropower facilities and electricity services will finance the construction of the Jiji and Mulembwe hydropower facilities, the transmission line connecting the facilities to Bujumbura and to Bururi, new substations and extension of existing substations, and the electricity distribution network in the vicinity of the hydropower facilities. It has following six sub-components: (i) Jiji hydropower scheme; (ii) Mulembwe hydropower; (iii) substations; (iv) transmission lines; (v) electricity supply to communities; and (vi) social and environmental impacts mitigation. The second component, technical assistance; project management will enable agency for production and distribution of water and electricity (regie de production et de distribution d'eau et d'electricite) (REGIDESO) to sustainably maintain and operate the hydropower facilities of first component. It comprises of following five sub-components: (i) owner's engineer, panel for dam safety, and panel for supervision of environmental and social management plans (ESMPs) and resettlement action plans (RAPs) implementation; (ii) feasibility studies for new investments; (iii) technical support to the project implementing unit (PIU); (iv) operation of the PIU; and (v) equipment for the PIU. The third component, power sector reform and institutional development include three main sub-components: (i) expert support to ensure the sustainability of REGIDESO to support for the implementation of REGIDESO's restructuring along the lines recommended by the management audit prepared by external experts in 2013; (ii) reinforcement of the power sector regulator will finance international expertise to establish the electricity sector regulator, organize the regulation function, train the newly appointed staff, and prepare the procedures for interaction between the regulator, the ministry, REGIDESO, and future private investors; and (iii) implementation of government plan for the preparation of public private partnerships (PPPs) in the power sector will finance international expertise to support implementation of a framework for future PPPs.