President Paul Kagame today launched the Kivu-Watt Gas Power Plant located in the western district of Karongi.

The Kivu-Watt Methane Gas plant, a project on Lake Kivu, effectively adds 25 megawatts to the national electricity grid, a boost in the country’s efforts to increase its energy capacity.

American energy firm Contour Global was given a 25-year concession to produce 100 megawatts from Lake Kivu, the world’s only methane rich water body.

The multi-million dollar project, financed through a concessional loan by the African Development Bank, Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund, Netherlands Development Finance Company and the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries, is the only gas water extraction power plant operating in the world.

Rwanda relies heavily on hydro-power, which accounts for 97.37MW of electricity, with thermal energy contributing 51.7MW, and solar energy just about 8.5MW.

The government targets to have 563 megawatts on the national grid by 2018.

Rwanda is also set to import another 30 megawatts from Kenya on a five-year long arrangement expected to later this year, according to sources at the Rwanda Energy Group, the firm charged with electricity distribution in the country.

Another importation of some 400MW from Ethiopia is also envisaged in the near future.

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