Africa’s leading electricity supply company Société Tunisienne de l’Electricité du Gaz based in Tunis, Tunisia, has signed a contract with Rwanda’s Electricity and Water Utility Authority (Electrogaz) to supply cheap electricity to Rwanda.

Speaking after the signing of an agreement with the Tunis Company, the Managing Director of Electrogaz, John Mirenge, said that Electrogaz based on a number of criteria to enter into an agreement with the Tunisian company.

"First, this company is the leading electricity supplier on the continent with quality products that are competing on the international market; their electricity networking system of a MALT-single cable is also very unique, standard and cheap,” said Mirenge.

According to Mirenge, Société Tunisienne de l’Electricité du Gaz signed a 14-month agreement with Electrogaz to connect Mimuli and Rukomo sectors of Nyagatare district in the western province.

"The total cost will be 34 percent less than it would cost us if we were to do it in our usual way,” Mirenge said. He added that Rwanda has assurance that the Tunisian company will implement the project effectively.

The General Manager of Société Tunisienne de l’Electricité du Gaz, Othman Ben Arfa, said that the project would allow 4000 people to be connected.

He also said that the system of MALT-single cable that his company would use in Rwanda is faster than what Rwanda is using now and more reliable.

"The MALT-single cable system is easier to instal, especially when someone is doing rural electrification, and it is the same system that has made us the leading electricity supplying company on the continent,” said Ben Arfa.

Asked about the potentiality of his company, Ben Arfa said that his company has implemented the same system and supplied generators and cable to Europe to be used in the same electrifying system.

The signing was also attended by the board chairman of Electrogaz, Prof. Chrysologue Karangwa.

"I have no doubt we are going to learn a lot from our Tunisian counterparts and they will definitely provide us with genuine skill,” he said.Karangwa also said that the partnership will also focus on providing skills through training Electrogaz staff.

"This is a new example of technological transfer, and Rwanda is fortunate to be the first African country to benefit from it and it is one of the best opportunities for the entire staff of Electrogaz,” Karangwa said.

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