Construction works for Nyabarongo multipurpose dam, which started in July 2023, are at 40 per cent, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Yusuf Murangwa has announced.
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The New Times looks at key things to about the project and its potential impact on Rwanda’s energy generation capacity.
43.5MW power plant
The project will build a 43.5MW Nyabarongo II Hydropower Plant.
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Nyabarongo II Multipurpose Dam under construction is located between Northern and Southern provinces, specifically at the junction of Kamonyi, Gakenke and Rulindo districts.
Contractor
China’s Sinohydro was awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction contract for the project.
The company is also responsible for the installation of the 110kV transmission line.
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Dam to irrigate 20,000 ha
The anticipated multipurpose dam along River Nyabarongo will support irrigation of over 20,000 hectares of crops, contributing to increased production, fishing activities.
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According to Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development (RAB), the dam will irrigate the land in the valley of Nyabarongo, Akagera, and Akanyaru rivers as well as upstream lakes of Cyohoha and Rweru in Bugesera District.
The project will also mitigate the perpetual flooding downstream of the Nyabarongo River that has proved to be hazardous in recent years.
Cost
In February 2020, the governments of Rwanda and China signed a framework agreement that will allow China, through China Exim Bank, to extend a concessional loan worth $214 million to facilitate the construction of the Nyabarongo II Hydropower Plant.
Water storage capacity
The dam will measure 59 metres high and 363 metres long, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 803 million cubic metres.
Employment
During the construction peak period, the project is expected to employ about 1,000 Rwandans.
The project will also use domestic construction materials including sand, stones, wood, and cement, among others.
Only electrical and electromechanical equipment are expected to be imported.
Theoneste Higaniro, the Director of Generation and Transmission at Rwanda Energy Group (REG) told The New Times that works that have been completed include river deviation, sand flushing, Headrace Tunnel ,Power house excavation.
Power house is under construction now.
Cofferdam was completed completed.
The entire dam foundation treatment with stone columns was completed and now dam is under filling.
He said that excavation for spillways and Substation area are ongoing.
"Contractually, the project was supposed to be completed by December 2026 but we registered some delays due to different technical constraints and we expect it to be done by December 2027," he said.