EA governments in new energy projects as demand rises

By Baraka Bitariho Sep 13, 2015

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Governments in the region have increased their efforts to improve energy output through several multimillion-dollar projects.

Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya have several ongoing power upgrade projects that will see them increase their electricity output by the end of the year.

Rwanda announced that it will meet its 2017 targets of giving 70 per cent of the countryâ€™s population access to the main grid up from the current 22 per cent.

Rwanda projects an electricity demand of 563MW in the next three years, to be generated from a generation mix of hydro, methane, geothermal and solar, gradually phasing out thermal power by end of 2017.

Rwandaâ€™s electricity generation more than doubled from 45MW to 110.8MW between 2005 and 2014.

Currently, Rwanda has plans for a host of energy projects, including the $300 million 80MW from the Rusumo hydroelectric project to be constructed on the Kagera River; the $450 million 147MW from Rusizi III hydro project, and a 200MW methane gas plant, all set to be complete by 2017.

READ: East Africa speeds up energy projects

Targets

Tanzania meanwhile, has announced an energy strategic plan that will see it generate up to 15,000MW of power by 2025. The development will enable the country to have a foundation to become a middle-income economy.

Tanzaniaâ€™s current electricity consumption at just 100 units per person is very low compared with 4,400 units in South Africa. Tanzania is involved in the construction of a $228 million 400kV power transmission line that will interconnect the national grid with Kenyaâ€™s.

Kenya targets to have an added installed geothermal electricity generation capacity of 3,533MW, 1,564MW of hydropower and 1265.5MW of wind energy by 2016.

Currently, it has a 1,664MW capacity against a maximum recorded demand of about 1,410MW. The country is planning a 900-1,000MW coal fired power plant in Lamu, expected to be competed in 2017; the 300MW Lake Turkana wind power plant to be completed in 2017; and the construction of several units of 720MW geothermal plants in Ol Karia to be complete by 2018.

Uganda is also working on three power projects: The Isimba dam project that will add 183MW in 2017; the Karuma project that will add 600MW in 2019; the Musizi, expected to produce 25 MW. The electricity penetration in Uganda stands at 15 per cent and the target is a minimum of 46 per cent.

OP The East African

By Baraka Bitariho

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EA governments in new energy projects as demand rises

By Baraka Bitariho

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