ARUSHA - The East African Community (EAC) is set to conduct a feasibility study for the extension of a oil pipeline from Kigali to Bujumbura, a senior EAC official has said.

The EAC Deputy Secretary General (Productive and Social Sectors), Jean Claude Nsengiyumva said recently that the study would start after the EAC secures funding from the African Development Bank.

"There is need, therefore, to hasten the commencement of the study for the Kampala-Kigali section which we understand was delayed to await conclusion of the feasibility study on refinery development in Uganda,” Nsengiyumva told the 6th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on energy in Arusha, Tanzania.

The meeting was also attended by the state minister for Energy and Water Eng. Coletha Ruhamya.

Nsengiyumva disclosed that the study for a natural gas pipeline from Dar es Salaam to Tanga and Mombasa was now complete, as well as work on the regional power master plan.

He was upbeat that the Master Plan will play a pivotal role in harnessing electricity generation resources from the region taking advantage of interconnection opportunities to enable the EAC partner states to access electricity from neighbouring regions at competitive rates.

"We are committed to adopting a holistic and comprehensive approach in addressing energy sector issues facing the region as directed by the Summit and in this connection,” Nsengiyumva said.

The Arusha meeting considered the report by the Permanent Secretaries responsible for energy, which covered regional activities in the areas of new and renewable energy and energy conservation and efficiency, fossil fuels and power sub-sectors.

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