Rwanda is seeking investors to develop a 200-megawatt floating solar power plant with battery storage on Lake Sake in Ngoma District, Eastern Province. ALSO READ: Inside Rwanda's $3.2 billion plan to reach 1,066MW energy capacity The Energy Development Corporation Limited (EDCL), a subsidiary of the Rwanda Energy Group (REG), has issued a pre-qualification call inviting independent power producers to express interest in developing the project. ALSO READ: 10 major projects shaping Rwanda’s energy future The project will include an 800-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system, capable of storing electricity for four hours, as well as infrastructure to connect the plant to the national grid. The battery system is expected to help supply electricity during evening peak hours, reduce the loss of excess solar power and improve grid stability. It will also provide support to maintain stable voltage and frequency and enable the power system to restart following a major outage. A site visit is scheduled on October 23, 2026. ALSO READ: Inside plan to buy solar power from households The project comes as the government plans to more than double the country's electricity generation capacity by 2034, driven by major investments in hydropower, solar energy and emerging technologies such as nuclear power. The country is implementing a $3.2 billion plan to increase electricity generation capacity from the current 467.14MW to 1,066MW by 2034, according to REG. Rwanda's installed capacity has grown from 100.4MW in 2010 to 472.95MW in 2026. Solar energy accounts for approximately 4.2% (or about 12.08 MW of on-grid capacity) of Rwanda's total electricity generation mix. Theoneste Higaniro, Director of Generation and Transmission at EDCL, told The New Times that the government is “still also considering” the Nyabarongo II dam to host floating solar panels with a potential capacity of 200 megawatts to boost clean energy generation. All about Lake Sake project Higaniro said Lake Sake was selected to host the solar power project because of the year-round availability of sunshine in Eastern Province. The bidders, once selected, they will be in charge of the design, supply, installation, testing, commissioning, operation and maintenance of a 200 MW floating solar power plant with an 800-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at Lake Sake. “The project supports Rwanda’s goal of universal electricity access, promotes clean energy for productive uses such as irrigation schemes and industry, and contributes to long-term grid stability,” reads the tender announcement. Scope of work The scope covers project development and the studies needed to establish the technical, environmental, social, commercial and financial viability of the project. It includes the floating solar PV generation system (modules, floating structures, mooring and anchoring, and associated electrical systems) and the battery energy storage system (batteries, power conversion, battery management, and auxiliary and safety systems). It also covers the plant’s electrical infrastructure, including transformers, switchgear, protection, metering, control, monitoring and communications, as well as SCADA and plant control systems and their interface with the national grid. ALSO READ: Rwanda’s electricity access rose from 1% to 83.2% in three decades SCADA is an industrial automation and IT system used to monitor, control, and analyze power generation, transmission, and distribution networks in real time. In addition, the successful bidder must build the grid connection and power evacuation infrastructure, including the substation and transmission facilities linking to the receiving substation through the nearest 220 kV transmission line, and must carry out testing and commissioning. Project structure The project is structured as an Independent Power Producer (IPP) scheme under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with REG, through its subsidiary EUCL, which acts as the off-taker. ALSO READ: Rwanda mulls generating 200MW from solar energy Interested parties are expected to set out their financing schemes and demonstrate their experience in constructing and managing power plants. The bidder will operate and maintain the facility for 25 years under the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Selection process and administrative requirements Selection will follow the Public Private Partnership Guideline of 16 July 2018, and interested parties must submit prequalification documents. Administrative requirements include an application letter confirming interest in prequalification and a company profile covering main business, countries of establishment and operation, and years in business. Applicants must also provide a copy of the company registration certificate or, for local companies, a trading license. Local companies must additionally submit social security and tax clearance certificates issued within the last six months. All applicants must provide a signed statement from an authorized representative confirming that the company is in good financial order, is not bankrupt, is not under court administration, has no arrangement with creditors, and has not suspended its business. ALSO READ: Rising electricity demand putting pressure on national grid - experts Applicants may qualify alone or as a Joint Venture, Consortium or Association (JVCA) with no more than one other company, so the maximum is two members. A JVCA application must specify the type of association, provide information on every member, identify the lead firm, and include an agreement signed by all members setting out each member’s roles and responsibilities. Experience and financial capacity Bidders must have at least ten years of experience in the design, supply, construction and management of renewable energy power plants. On the financial side, applicants must submit audited financial statements showing an average annual turnover of at least $300 million over the last three years (2023, 2024 and 2025), or the equivalent in another freely convertible currency. Bidders must also demonstrate access to financial resources, such as liquid assets, unencumbered real assets and cash flow, of at least $60 million. In addition, they must show access to a credit line of at least $60 million, or its equivalent in a freely convertible currency. The government also aims to raise electricity access from the current 85 per cent to 100 per cent.
