Multinational - Ruzizi IV hydropower plant

The proposed operation involves a grant of USD 10 350 000 to the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) to partially finance the expenses related to the preparatory activities for the implementation of the Ruzizi IV hydropower plant construction project (287 MW). The project is one of the priority infrastructure projects identified by Electricité des Grands Lacs (EGL) under its Regional Energy Master Plan, which aimed to exploit the hydroelectric potential of the Ruzizi River cascade, estimated at 500 MW. It is also included in the CEPGL Regional Economic Program for the period 2014-2020 (PER, 2014-2020) and is also among the 20 community and priority energy projects of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) that were submitted to the Round Table of Donors meeting on 17 June 2016 in Brussels (Belgium). The Ruzizi IV project has already been the subject of a pre-feasibility study carried out in 2010, which identified a site with substantial hydropower potential. Its realisation will take place only a few years after the commissioning of the Ruzizi III hydropower plant in the final phase of development by EGL (147 MW). The completion of the studies relating to the preparation of the implementation is a prerequisite for the development and construction of the Ruzizi IV hydropower project. Preparatory activities are focused on 3 main areas: (i) carrying out technical and environmental studies & preparation of project tender documents, (ii) carrying out institutional and financial framework studies & bankability study, and (iii) preparing the implementation of the project, assisting the promoters and the countries concerned in the negotiations with the investor/developer. The total estimated execution time is forty-eight (48) months.