Electrogaz, a public utility for production, transmission and distribution of water and electricity in Rwanda is set for a merger under the Rwanda Energy and Water Development Board (REWDB), Director General, John Milenge said recently during an Interview with The New Times.

Last year it was announced that Electrogaz would split into two companies by January 2009, for better service delivery. However the last cabinet meeting decided to put it under the management of REWDB.

The company was scheduled to form the Rwanda Electricity Corporation (RECO) and the Rwanda Water and Sewage Corporation (RWASCO).

"The last cabinet meeting approved the law and we hope it is going to be done soon. Electrogaz under REWDB will be bigger than how RECO and RWASCO were going to work,” Milenge said.

"REWDB is a big entity, it combines energy and electricity and water and it will be operating better than splitting it into companies. The law is in registration process and we will see electrogaz under REWDB sooner than later,” he added.

According to Electrogaz’s boss, the electricity connection rate stands at only about 6 percent of the total population. This low electricity penetration has always adversely affected the development initiatives of the country.

Electrogaz has developed a roll out plan within the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS), where by the year 2012 a total number of up to 350,000 clients will be connected with both electricity and water. Currently Electrogaz has 110,000 estimated customers.

Ends