Improving energy supply in the Great Lakes region, Kamanyola substation

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The Great Lakes region is hampered in its social and economic development by a serious lack of modern energy. The national electricity markets are characterized by inadequate electricity supply and poor network infrastructure on the one hand and high production costs and unfavorable structural conditions on the other. In the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in the provinces of North and South Kivu, the situation is even more aggravated because the region is not connected to the national grid. The three neighboring countries Rwanda, Burundi and the DRC want to overcome this obstacle by planning to build new (Ruzizi III, and in the future Ruzizi IV) hydroelectric power stations (HPPS) and rehabilitate existing ones (Ruzizi I, II) on the Ruzizi border river. The project proposed here includes financing the infrastructure associated with the Ruzizi HPPs - and also regional infrastructure. This includes the construction of the switchgear associated with HPP Ruzizi III, the establishment of a regional network control center (so-called dispatching center) with the task of load distribution in the region, and the construction of a regional water coordination center for HPP Ruzizi I, II and III. The total cost of the project is EUR 10.5 million and is being financed by the Federal Development Fund with a Federal Development Fund grant (Africa N.A.) of the same amount promised to the Communauté Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs (CEPGL). The project is being implemented under the leadership of the regional organization EGL (Energie des Grands Lacs) in coordination with the three national energy suppliers REG (Rwanda), REGIDESO (Burundi) and SNEL (DRC) as well as the regional organization NELSAP. The project goal is to improve the supply of the population of Burundi, Rwanda and eastern Congo with inexpensive and environmentally friendly electricity from hydropower. This will contribute to increasing security of supply, reducing the cost of energy supply and deepening economic cooperation through the integration of regional electricity markets (DC programme objective). The target group of the project are electricity consumers in Rwanda, Burundi and eastern Congo, who will benefit from improved electricity supply and lower generation costs.