Electricity projects in focus as country marks Energy Day

As the world celebrates World Energy Day today, Rwanda is focusing on how to increase its energy production to power its growing economy.Electricity production stands at 110 megawatts, and government is targeting atleast 563 megawatts by 2018.According to Ntare Karitanyi, the Director General of the Energy Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA), the government seeks to achieve this target by augmenting its energy capacity with various sources such as methane gas, peat, solar and biogas.“Some very important projects include the Nyabarongo River hydro power project with the capacity of 28 megawatts. This project will be complete by April 2014. We are also targeting renewable energy sources and clean energy sources like the biogas energy which is empowering prisons and schools,” Karitanyi said yesterday during a media briefing.He added that although some mega energy projects had delayed, particularly the 100 megawatt methane gas project on Lake Kivu, the country was still on course to achieve its targets.“The private investors in methane gas are using a very unique and new kind of technology due to the nature of Lake Kivu. So they kept finding it necessary to improve the technology and it caused delays. However, most of the work is complete and we are certain that in November it will be ready,” he said.Another major project that Rwanda counts on is the Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project, which, in August, received a boost of US$340 million to produce 80 megawatts of electricity for Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.Electricity access has doubled since 2008 from six per cent to 16 per cent.National World Energy Day celebrations will focus on inaugurating rural electrification in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District and in Rwamagana District.During the celebrations, Karitanyi will oversee the launch of a solar power programme in specific primary schools in the countryside.