WESTERN PROVINCE

RUBAVU — The Prime Minister Bernard Makuza has is optimistic that the current extraction of methane gas in Lake Kivu will reduce power shortages in the country.

Makuza who is on a countrywide tour to evaluate districts performance contracts after the first quarter of the year, said he was impressed by the progress of work. The Rubavu-based methane gas station is located about 3.5km away from the shores of Lake Kivu.

"I’m very much impressed by the work done so far, the station will soon produce over 5MW which according to experts will provide power to the entire Gisenyi and some parts of the Northern Province. We hope this will greatly reduce power shortages in the country," Makuza said on Tuesday.

He said that Rubavu power station whose construction has consumed 10million euros will have started supplying power to the areas by the end of June this year, to supplement the existing power supply.

"This is a primary stage. Its success is like a foundation of building more station on other parts of the Lake. There is already another station at Kibuye and many companies are willing to take up tenders of constructing other stations that will generate up to 20MW," he added.

The premier said that experts have indicated that once properly extracted, Rwanda has enough methane gas to meet its power needs and has surplus for export to the neighboring countries.

He observed that the extracted gas will have a great impact on the country’s development, especially the western province which has been dogged by power shortages for years.

"This is an achievement that every Rwandan should be proud of because Methane gas has been in Kivu for thousands of years. Its extraction is therefore a great achievement and a big step forward in using the existing natural resources for economic development."

Eng. Albert Butare, the minister of state for Energy had earlier on thanked the constructers for their effort to complete the station in spite of a number of hindrances, like lack of appropriate machinery to transport huge blocks to the site.

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