The country will invest about US$1billion dollars in geothermal energy development, a consultant at the Energy Water and Sanitation Agency (EWSA), Stephen Alumasa, has divulged.He explained that the cost will involve power plant construction, drilling of more wells, infrastructure, drilling materials and services.Well drilling in potential areas identified to have geothermal reserves will soon begin. They include the slopes of Mt Karisimbi, Kinigi and Gisenyi."We have already signed a contract with a Chinese firm, China Petroleum Technology and Development Corporation (CPTDC) to supply drilling materials to the tune of US$7 million,” Alumasa revealed. He added that scientific studies in the potential areas carried out by Ackland Uniservices Ltd, a New Zealand company, were complete."Currently, we are carrying out a data interpretation exercise that will give us a final report on this project,” he pointed out.According to him, the latest survey indicates that both Gisenyi and Kinigi are equally rich in geothermal reserves although not as well-endowed as Karisimbi.He pointed out that two of the three areas have the potential to produce about 150 megawatts of power.By 2017, government expects to be producing at least 300 MW from geothermal energy and this, according to EWSA, has potential to provide half the energy the country will require by 2020.The acting Head of Geothermal Unit at EWSA, Aimable Habinshuti, told The New Times that drilling materials will be delivered in less than five months."As soon as these materials are delivered, drilling will start and we shall also consider starting work in Bugarama, another site identified to have potential for geothermal exploration,” he explained.Earlier plans indicated that drilling would start in April this year, but officials say changes were made due to the final scientific study that took almost four months.