Gishoma Thermal Power Station is a 15 MW (20,000 hp), peat-fired thermal power plant, under construction in Gishoma, Rusizi District, in the Western Province of Rwanda.
| Gishoma Thermal Power Station | |
|---|---|
 Location of the Gishoma Thermal Power Station | |
| Country | Rwanda |
| Location | Rusizi District, Western Province |
| Coordinates | 02°30′51″S 28°55′29″E / 2.51417°S 28.92472°E |
| Status | Under construction |
| Construction began | 2010[1] |
| Commission date | April 2017[2] |
| Owner(s) | Shengli Energy Group |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Peat |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity | 15 MW (20,000 hp) |
This article needs to be updated. (January 2022) |
Location edit
The power station is located in Gishoma, Rusizi District, in Rwanda's Western Province, approximately 210 kilometres (130 mi), by road, southwest of the city of Kigali, the capital and largest city in the country.[3]
Overview edit
As part of efforts to diversify the national energy generation sources, and in view of the considerable deposits of peat in the country, the government of Rwanda, through its wholly owned parastatal Energy Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA), contracted Shengli Energy Group Limited', a Chinese company, to build Gishoma Thermal Power Station, under the supervision of an Indian firm, Punj Lloyd Limited.[4]
The peat to fuel the power station would be extracted from the Gishoma marshes, close to where the power station is located. Peat Energy Company, a private Rwandan peat mining and supply company, contracted with EWSA to supply the raw material.[5]
After the construction contract had been awarded, it became clear that mistakes had been made in the design of the power station, the feasibility estimates and the sourcing of water needed for the power station to operate.[1] It has recently come to the attention of the planners, that the Gishoma marshes peat reserves can only sustain the 15MW plant for a maximum of five years. At that time the plant would either be relocated, or peat would have to be trucked in from remote Rwandan sites.[6]
Timetable and funding edit
The construction of this power station was originally budgeted to cost US$36 million (about Rwf24.8 billion), borrowed from the Bank of Kigali, Rwanda's largest commercial bank by assets.[1] Despite the delays and miscalculations, the power station was expected to come online in August 2016.[7] The power plant came online in April 2017.[2]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c Kwibuka, Eugene (4 March 2015). "What stalled Gishoma Peat Power project?". New Times (Rwanda). Kigali. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ a b Lydia Cole (10 April 2017). "Rwanda adds to energy mix with first peat-fired power plant in Africa". Theconversation.com. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
- ^ GFC (24 February 2016). "Distance between Kigali, Rwanda and Rusizi, Western Province, Rwanda". Globefeed.com (GFC). Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ KT Press (24 October 2014). "Rwanda Prepares to Switch on Africa's First Peat Fired Power Plant". New York City: PR Newswire. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ Esiara, Kabona (7 June 2014). "Rwanda, peat firm finally seal Rwf1bn energy agreement". The EastAfrican. Nairobi. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ Esiara, Kabona (28 November 2015). "Low peat deposits shorten timespan". The EastAfrican. Nairobi. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ Senelwa, Kennedy (20 February 2016). "Turkish firm lands energy production deal in Rwanda". The EastAfrican. Nairobi. Retrieved 24 February 2016.