Rising demand for electricity in different sectors is putting additional pressure on the electricity network and generation capacity, experts have said. Serge Wilson Muhizi, Chief Executive Officer of Energy Private Developers (EPD), a network of more than 150 companies operating across various energy subsectors, Rwanda's growing economy is driving the need for more electricity generation. ALSO READ: REG probes cause of Sunday's blackout We are seeing more industries and an increase in electric vehicles, triggering rising energy demand. Investors expect sufficient, stable, and affordable energy. Big power projects are needed and will help provide affordable power, he said. According to findings from a study titled ‘Exploring Enabling Energy Frameworks for Electric Mobility in Rwanda,’ prepared under the Rwanda Urban Mobility Improvement Project (RUMI), Kigali's peak electricity demand will increase by 64 percent by 2030 even without electric vehicles. It warns that the continued growth of electric mobility could place additional pressure on the electricity grid if network expansion is not accelerated. ALSO READ: Power outage alert for Kigali, Western Province Electrical engineer Innocent Hakizimana said Rwanda must continue expanding electricity generation to support economic growth and the country's shift toward cleaner transport. We are moving from fuel to electricity, especially with electric vehicles. This does not reduce energy demand; it shifts the demand to electricity, meaning we need more power, he said. Jones Kizihira, Managing Director for Basigo, an EV company, reiterated that electricity demand from electric buses will increase gradually rather than suddenly as adoption grows. There will be an increase in electricity demand, but it will be gradual rather than a spike, he said. The more pressing challenge, he said, is ensuring the stability of electricity supply while preparing the grid for future growth. Pointing out that electric buses are charged during off-peak hours (between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.) when overall electricity consumption is relatively low, he said, the charging process does not place significant pressure on the grid during periods of peak demand. ALSO READ: RURA assessing issue of power cuts Looking ahead, he believes Rwanda currently has adequate electricity generation capacity to support the growth of electric mobility but says faster investment in grid upgrades is essential. We still have enough electricity, both produced locally and imported, but we still face the challenge of an old grid that needs to be upgraded. The utility companies are already working on this, but the upgrades need to happen much faster to meet the growing demand rather than reacting after the system becomes constrained, the official said. Power outages’ impact Vincent Nshimiyimana, a hairdresser in Muyumbu Sector, Rwamagana District, said he serves at least four customers per hour, charging Rwf1,000 for each men's haircut. We recently experienced a four-hour power outage on a Sunday afternoon, which is one of our busiest times. If I serve four customers per hour, I earn Rwf4,000. Losing power for four hours means losing a significant amount of income because Sundays are peak periods for clients, he said. In the recent weeks, Kigali has experienced power outages, and these have come with some effects. For businesspeople, for example, Angel Umuhoza, who owns a liquor store in the city, outages affect sales because customers expect chilled beverages. ALSO READ: AfDB approves $180 million loan for universal electrification GeoffreyZawadi, the Director of External Relations at Rwanda Energy Group (REG) said power outages result from both planned maintenance and unforeseen technical problems. ALSO READ: Renewable energy’s share in Rwanda reaches 52% Some outages are planned and communicated in advance for maintenance purposes, while others are caused by technical issues such as earth faults or human interference, including vandalism of electricity infrastructure. In all cases, REG works to minimise downtime, he said. Zawadi acknowledged that rising electricity demand is increasing pressure on both generation and the transmission network but said multiple projects are underway to address future needs. Among the projects cited by REG are Nyabarongo II Hydropower Plant, Rukarara VI Hydropower Plant and the Rusizi III Hydropower Project, all of which are intended to increase electricity generation capacity while strengthening the national grid. He said these investments aim to modernise the electricity network, improve reliability, and reduce outages as demand continues to grow. Prime Minister speaks out on the matter Speaking about power outages and unreliable electricity supply, Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva told lawmakers recently that as the economy grows and the population increases, demand for electricity is also rising. “We need to keep up by developing projects that can meet this demand. That is why we are implementing several projects, including the Methane Gas Power Project, Nyabarongo II, and others,” he noted. “Nyabarongo II will provide 43.5 MW of hydropower, while floating solar panels installed on water bodies will contribute additional capacity. Once these projects are completed and 185 MW from methane gas is added, electricity generation capacity will increase,” he added. Nsengiyumva also pointed out that a new policy will allow individual households to install solar panels, use part of the electricity generated, and sell the surplus power to the national grid, helping to address power outages. Electricity generation capacity increased from 406 MW in 2024 to 471 MW today, with the target of reaching 615 MW by 2029.
