Rwanda Small Hydropower Projects

Rwanda Small Hydropower Projects

Client
Amahoro Energy, Ltd. and Musanze, Rwanda.

Location
Rwanda

Highlights
  • Project optimization, design and cost estimates
  • Topographical surveys
  • Transmission/interconnection siting
  • Hydrology assessment
  • Environmental impact assessments (EIA)
  • Economic and financial analyses
  • Regulatory analysis and implementation plan

The Rwanda Hydropower project consists of five small brownfield hydropower plant expansions in Rwanda. The hydropower plant expansions and the greenfield run-of-river hydropower plant development will be implemented in two phases over a four-year period and will install a combined 11.45 megawatts (MW) of new renewable energy capacity.

Knight Piésold’s Role

Knight Piésold was retained to evaluate the technical and feasibility, economic viability and financeability of the hydropower plant expansions. The team also assisted the client in securing overseas private investment corporation project finance.  This project has been supported by the US Africa Clean Energy Initiative (US ACEF), the US Trade and Development Agency and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. 

The scope of services included:

  • Review of existing information and field inspection of the proposed project sites
  • Topographical surveys and provide contour topogrphic map depicting prospective locations for project structures
  • Identify transmission and interconnection issues and conduct siting study for proposed project structures
  • Initial geological and geotechnical assessments
  • Hydrology assessment to establish a long-term (at least 50 years) project monthly river flow and flow duration and to determine the design and type of civil structures required for the project
  • Environmental baseline assessment
  • Environmental impact assessment that adheres to OPIC finance standards
  • Final optimization, design plan and cost estimates for the proposed project
  • Economic and financial analyses for the proposed project
  • Comprehensive plan for implementation financing
  • Legal, regulatory and institutional review at a sufficient level to support the implementation plan
  • Comprehensive implementation plan based on two phases over four years