Power utility embraces technology to enhance efficiency, reduce losses

The Energy Utility Corporation Limited (EUCL), a subsidiary company of the Rwanda Energy Group (REG), has turned to new technologies as it steps up efforts to enhance efficiency and transparency. The Integrated and business management system (IBM), according to Jean Bosco Mugiraneza, the REG chief executive officer, is part of the reforms being undertaken by the group to “boost efficiency and help minimise losses to spur revenue collection, as well as fix managerial gaps”. The REG chief said the solution, by South African-based enterprise software developer, IFS, will help the utility reduce commercial losses from current 3 per cent to less than one per cent. “The solution will support mission-critical business processes such as financials, payroll, supply chain management, human resources, and project management,” he added. He added that it will be integrated with other commercially-supportive systems offered by IFS through its partner Fluentgrid of India. “We were looking for a modern business management solution that can enhance organisation control and aid timely decision-making to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability throughout the organisation,” said EUCL managing director Eng Jean-Claude Kalisa. He added that the IFS applications suit the firm’s requirements in terms of functional breadth, scalability, and user-friendliness. Gawie van der Merwe, the IFS South Africa managing director, said the software is a cost-effective, adding that it can be used to manage new infrastructure developments, monitor programmes and project progress, as well as “leave an asset management legacy for on-going plant and facility maintenance”. “We are, therefore, looking forward to supporting EUCL improve efficiency across the organisation,” he noted. The Auditor General’s Office last year faulted the utility for inefficiency in billing, accountability and poor management of resources that led to huge losses. Rwanda is targeting to increase power output to at least 563MW of electricity by 2018, from the current 190MW and connect over 70 per cent of the population by 2020. Currently, hydro-power accounts for 97.37MW of Rwanda’s total installed electricity capacity, thermal is at 51.7MW, methane 3.6MW, while 8.75MW is produced from solar energy.

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Power utility embraces technology to enhance efficiency, reduce losses