The Rwanda Energy Group (REG) has officially inaugurated US $20 million power substation facility constructed in the Gasabo district.
Chief Executive of Rwanda Energy Group (REG), Ron Weiss during the inauguration ceremony applauded the completion and said the substation will bring about drastic improvement in electricity supply in Kigali.
“This project is going to help us improve the network operations in Kigali, reduce power and energy losses, and also to increase both the quality and the quantity of power supply in Kigali,” he noted.
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The new substation
The new substation which was funded by the Japanese government through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has five power lines (electrical feeders). The facility is expected to supply parts of Ndera and Murindi, with the biggest beneficiaries said to be businesses operating in the Kigali Special Economic Zone.
This power facility is part of what is known as the “Project for Improvement of Substation and Distribution” which began in 2011.Through the project, the Japanese government has been providing grants to Rwanda to upgrade and rehabilitate proposed distribution systems in order to promote substantial electrification.
“This project will supply stable power to areas in and around Kigali that will lead to the wellbeing of the people of Rwanda. I am very excited that we are part of your national development,” said Japan’s ambassador to Rwanda, Takayuki Miyashita.
With stable power supply being essential for foreign direct investment, and the power demand increasing, the Government wants to achieve 100% of power accessibility by 2024, from the current 44.6%.
