KIGALI - The Japanese government, through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has given a $35 million grant to support the government in developing the Energy sector.

The support will be directed to the Energy Water and Sanitation Agency (EWSA) to help in capacity building as well as developing an efficient power system.

Speaking during the launch of the three year project, the State Minister for Energy and Water, Colletha Ruhamya, hailed Japan’s continued support to various government projects.

She said the grant will help put in place an efficient transmission and distribution network.

"This project will help in restoring normal levels of power distribution to industrial, commercial and residential consumers,” Ruhamya said

She explained that it will also contribute towards achieving the target of increasing power production to 1000 MW by 2017 that will translate to 50 percent access to power.
In his address, the Director General of EWSA, Yves Muyange, outlined the key areas the project is set to transform.

"We are going to rehabilitate substations, among them, Gikondo, Jabana, Musha and Rwinkwavu, as well as upgrading Huye and Kigali distribution networks ,” Muyange said.

He also noted that building the capacity of EWSA staff will highly contribute to efficiency in implementing new energy policies and strategies.

The Japanese Ambassador to Rwanda, Kunio Hatanaka, said his country was happy to support the country’s development program.

"We shall establish a power grid database, functional development of training centres as well as develop a curriculum to train engineers, among others,” he said.

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