5_DENIS

TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Overview of the small hydro sector in Rwanda Vincent DENIS MHyLab CH-1354 Montcherand www.mhylab.com

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Rwanda - Some facts y Small country in the center of Africa (great lakes area) y Borders with Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo y About 8'100'000 Inhabitants in 2002. y Civil war and genocide in 1994, more than 1'000'000 killed and 1'000'000 refugees. y Life expectancy at birth : 46 (m) & 49 (f) y 322 inhabitants per km2 y Urban population represents 17% of the total. y GPD per Capita is less than US $ 200.

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Rwanda - Electricity sector y Only 6% of the population has access to the grid (20% in urban area and 2.5 % in rural area). y 1% of the consumers use 56% of the available electricity. y Actual production is 249 GWh. y 22.5 MW and 96 GWh are missing to meet the actual demand. y The total installed capacity is 54. 5 MW, but only 37.5 are available. y The installed hydropower is 41.9 MW, but only 24.9 are available. y By the year 2020, Rwanda will need 185 MW and 900 GWh per year !

25% of the urban population and 5% of the rural population.

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Rwanda - Hydropower sector y Four small hydropower plants in Rwanda y y y y

Mukungwa (12.2 MW) Ntaruka (11.25 MW) Gihira (1.8 MW) Gisenyi (1.2 MW)

y One HPP shared with DRC and Burundi – Rusizi II (12 MW for Rwanda) y One HPP shared with DRC – Rusizi I (3.5 MW for Rwanda) 24/10/2005

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Ntaruka and Mukungwa y Excessive exploitation of the Burera lake y Low rain last 6 years => y These two power plants cannot be operated at full load. + y Rehabilitation needs

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Gihira y Theoretical annual production 9.8 GWh y Real annual production 6.0 GWh y Many operation and maintenance problems y Rehabilitation under progress

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Gisenyi y Theoretical annual production : 8.4 GWh y Real annual production : 4.3 GWh y Only one turbine in operation due to a lack of spare parts.

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Small hydro power plants y At least 21 small HPP before the war y Mainly not connected to the grid y Only two are partly in operation in 2005

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Small hydro power potential y About 100 potential sites y 27 sites are considered as very interesting and could be connected to the national or local grid. y The total output of theses small hpp is > 25 MW and more than 148 GWh. y Long term potential (2020) : 44.6 MW and 260 GWh or 24% of the load and 29% of the production.

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Small and large hydro development Main problems y Lack of coordination y Lot of studies paid by international cooperation but no realization. y Lack of coordination between the development agencies. Some sites have been studied twice ! y Lack of coordination between the national utility and the government. y At least two Ministries in charge of water and hydropower. y No global planning for hydropower development

y Lack of reliable data y Loss of memory due to the death of numerous local engineers and ministries employees y Destruction of data base during the civil war y Destruction of the infrastructures.

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Small and large hydro development Main problems y Lack of specific laws y Water law under discussion, but no definition of residual flow, authorization duration, etc. = > Lack of guarantees for private investors y Too much fees for the use of public waters => kills the projects. y No energy law dealing with production, distribution and sale of electricity.

y Too much clusters y Before PGNRE in 2005, no discussion between the national agencies dealing with drinking water, irrigation, waste water and hydropower.

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Small and large hydro development Main problems y Lack of resources use optimization y No global planning for hydropower development y Bad choice of material (simple does not mean inefficient !) y Lack of quality standard

y Lack of specific education y In the Ministry for infrastructures, only two local engineers have a good overview of the small hydro potential. They are the memory of the ministry. y For instance, urgent need of training for local people able to make a preliminary site assessment.

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Small and large hydro development What can we propose y Engineering services for the rehabilitation and optimization of the operating and abandoned sites (short term action). y Assistance to the elaboration of a national master plan for the development of small hydropower. y Definition of priorities considering the electrification master plan and the other uses of water. y Definition of a clear national politic => clear orientation of the international cooperation

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Small and large hydro development What can we propose y Assistance to flow measurement campaign on a national level and to the training of local agents. y Detailed studies of the mid and long term identified sites (including training of local engineers). y Engineering services during realization phases including training and definition of quality standards (long term thinking). y Assistance for the preparation of water and energy laws (secure private investors). y Organization of seminars on multi-uses of water.

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TN SHP Workshop Villach – October 2005

Small and large hydro development in Rwanda - Conclusion y Rwanda has an important hydropower potential. y Small hydro can be a good contributor to the electricity sector. y Small hydro can help to create local grid that could help to built the future national grid y In order to succeed, Rwanda mainly needs : y Coordination y Training y Global planning of the water resources

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