KIGALI - The visiting World Bank (WB) Senior Vice President for External Affairs, Dr. Marwan Muasher, yesterday visited the new thermal power plant at Jabana, and expressed satisfaction over the project.

Under a joint financial support of the WB and the government of Rwanda, the national utilities cooperation, ELECTROGAZ has completed construction of a 20 MW power plant, described by technicians as the biggest power plant in the country.

The project that began early 2008 and completed last month saw the WB sink in $ 15 million, while the government contributed $12m and ELECTROGAZ itself sunk in Euro 1,290,798.

During the visit, Muasher said he was impressed by the project, and said he was gratified by the fact that his institution was part of the implementation.

"This is a very modern plant and it will help overcome the energy challenges facing Rwanda,” he said in an interview after touring the plant. He also pledged continued support from the World Bank.

The plant is powered by three model 18V32 engines, which are expected to consume about 100 litres of heavy fuel oil for its daily operation.

According to Felix Gakuba who heads the Urgent Electricity Rehabilitation Project (UERP), the Jabana power plant will help to ensure network stability and load shedding will be reduced.

"The fuel this plant uses is much less expensive compared to what we use in other plants, yet it generates more electricity,” he said, insisting on the utility’s commitment to deal with power shortage problems in the country.

While the current energy produced all over the country is estimated at 65 MW, ELECTROGAZ has embarked on the long term energy master plan that aims at producing 110 MW by 2012, a move to address the power shortage crisis.

The Jabana plant is the first of the many projects that are ongoing to reach this target while others that are yet to be completed include other plants at Rukarara and Nyabarongo as well as the Kivu Methane Gas Extraction project.

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