Hydropower in Burundi

Hydropower plants, both large and micro, are the mainstay for production of electrical energy in Burundi. As of 2007, the interconnected network power production comes from 2 national power plants, Rwegura and Mugere, 2 regional power stations - Ruzizi I and II and some smaller power plants. For information on the location of the plants, click here.

Hydropower plants in Burundi

Table 1: Hydropower plants installed in Burundi. Source National Guiding plan of Electrification reviewed by SOGREAF, 1995

Power Plant	Owner	Name of the River	Year of start up	Installed Capacity (MW)	Remarks
Rwegura	REGIDESO	Gitenge	1986	18 (3x6)	Network Interconnected (110kV)
Mugere	REGIDESO	Mugere	1982	8 (2x4)	Network Interconnected (35kV)
Ruvyironza	REGIDESO	Ruvyironza	1980 1984	0.850 (0.425*2) 1,275 (0.425*3	Network Interconnected (30kV) Under rehabilitaion
Nyemanga	REGIDESO	Siguvyaye	1988	1,440 (0.720*2)	Southern Network (30 kV)
Gikonge	REGIDESO	Mubarazi	1982	0.850(0. 425*2)	Muramvya Local Network/10kV) Under rehabilitation
Kayenzi	REGIDESO	Kavuruga	1984	0.850 (0.425*2)	North-Eastern Network (30kV)
Marangara	REGIDESO	Ndurumu	1986	0.240(0.12*2)	North Network (30kV)
Buhiga	REGIDESO	Ndurumu	1984	0.240	Karuzi Local Network In(10kV) Out of service
Ruyugi (Sanzu)	REGIDESO	Sanzu	1982	0.072	Ruyigi Local Network (10kV)
Kigwena	D.G.H.E.R.	Nzibwe	1984	0.05	Utilisation mission Under rehabilitation
Butezi	D.G.H.E.R.	Sanzu	1990	0.24	Utilisation : Health Care Center Under rehabilitation
Ryarusera	D.G.H.E.R.	Kagogo	1984	0.02	Utilisation : Mission + School Under rehabilitation
Nyabikere	D.G.H.E.R.	Nyabisi	1990	0.139	Utilisation : Mission
Murore	D.G.H.E.R.	Rusumo	1987	0,024	Utilisation : Mission + Hospital
Giheta	D.G.H.E.R.	Ruvyironza	1984	0.030	Utilisation : Mission + School Out of service
Mugera	Private Parish*1	Ruvyironza	1962	0.030	Utilisation : Mission + School Out of service
Kiremba	Private Parish	Buyongwe	1981	0.064	Utilisation : Mission + Hospital
Masango	Private Parish	K (G) Itenge	1979	0.025	Utilisation : Mission
Musongati	Private Parish	Nyamabuye	1981	0.006	Utilisation : Mission + Hospital
Mutumba	Private Parish	Kirasa	1982	0.045	Utilisation : Mission + School
Mpinga	Private Parish	Mukanda	1983	0.016	Utilisation : Mission
Teza	Private OTB	Nyabigondo	1971	0.360	Utilisation Tea Factory OTB: Burundian Tea Office
Kiganda	Private Parish	Kaniga Mucece	1984	0.044	Utilisation : Mission + School Owner was changed to REGIDESO
Gisozi	Private Parish	Kayoke	1983	0.015	Utilisation : Station of ISABU Out of Service
Burasira	Private (Seminar)	Ruvubu	1961	0.025	Utilization : Mission + School
Kirimba	Private	Kaniga	1954	0.050	Utilization :Mission + Hospital * Out of service
Kibumbu	Private	Mushwabure	1953	0.056	Utilization: Sanatorium Out of Service
Total of Installed Capacity			32.186 MW
Excluding HEPPs under Rehabilitation and Out of service			29.258 MW

Table 2: SNELAC hydropower plants. Source: Source National Guiding plan of Electrification reviewed by SOGREAF, 1995

Power plant	Owner	River	Year of start up	Installed capacity (MW)	Remarks
Rusizi I	SNEL	Rusizi	1958	2x7.05
	SNEL		1972	2X7.05
Rusizi II	SINELAC	Rusizi	1989	1x13.3
	SINELAC		1991	1x13.3

Supply

Table 3: Production Level Hydro Power Plants Supplying Electricity to REGIDESO (MWh). Source: Report of REGIDESO, 2006.

Location	HPC	2002	2003	2004		2005		2006
I. Interconnected networks
1.D.R.C.	Ruzizi 1	28 010	26.125	30 277		20 284		16 940
2.D.R.C.	Ruzizi 2	12 250	30 893	42 329		50 920		41 218
3.Bujumbura	Mugere	46 819	43 473	39 643		41 788		49 599
4.Gitega	Ruvyironza	3 366	3 610	1 205		2 671		0
5.Kayanza	Rwegura	68 082	48 720	43 875		49 617		36 381
Sub-total		158,527	152,821	157,329		165,280		144,138
II. Isolated Plants
6.Bururi	Nyemanga	5 463	4 360	3 846		3 415		4 391
7. Kirundo	Marangara	864	1.124	731		630		981
8. Muramvya	Gikonge	1 278	1 139	966		818		0
9. Muyinga	Kayenzi	1.227	957	957		593		620
10. Ruyigi	Sanzu	Out of service	Out of service	Out of service		Out of service		Out of service.
11. Karuzi	Buhiga	Out of service	393	Out of service		623		185
Sub-total		8 822	7 973	6 500		6 079		6 177
GLOBAL TOTAL		167 359	160 794	163 829		171 359		152 056
(I&II)
(%)		8.2	-3.9	1.5	4.6		-11.3

Table 3 shows a decrease of 11.3% of electricity production in comparison to 2006‘s production. At the same time, a reduction of imports of this energy is also recorded in the ratios of 8% and 18% respectively for Ruzizi I and Ruzizi II.

On the other hand, the hydropower plants show declined performances of 19% compared to 2005 due to reduced volume of water as well down time for maintenance and cleaning works which have been carried out since April 2006. The poor electricity production at national level as well as at the regional hydropower plants (Ruzizi I and Ruzizi II) has constrained REGIDESO to operate its network by selective power cuts.

 

Table 4: Production level of micro hydropower plants of DGHER (MWh).

Micro HPC.	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Kigwena	out of service	81	30	out of service	out of service
Murore	12.7	18	3	2	12.2
Nyabikere	37.5	64	81	92	9.30
Ryarusera	2.86	12	2	out of service	12.27
Butezi	64.29	98	39	112	133.24
Total	117.4	273	155	206	166.86
(%)	3.0%	132.5%	-43%	32.9%	-19%

The electricity production by the micro plants of DGHER registered a drop of 19% in 2006 compared to 2005 because of a general reduction in  the  level of water and the breakdown of the micro power plant of Kigwena which delivers power to 211 customers.

Demand 

Table 5: Evolution of the total customers on the national scale (Regideso + DGHER). Source: Report of REGIDESO and DGHER for the year 2006.

Year	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	% increase
REGIDESO	29 674	31 115	32 825	32 933	35 230	6.97%
DGHER	1 375	1 550	1 751	1 898	2 184	15.06%
Total	31 049	32 665	34 576	34 831	37 414	22.03%

At the national level the number of customers in electricity has increased by 22.03 %.

Table 6: Evolution of electric consumption at the National Level (MWh). Source: Report of REGIDESO and DGHER for the year 2006.

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Total Consumption	123 068.5	119 961	125 393	126 092	121 265	105 082
(%) change		- 2.5%	4.5%	0.5%	-3.8%	-15.41%

An analysis of the national consumption during the year 2006 compared to 2005 shows a decrease of 15.41%.

Challenges in exploiting hydropower resources 

• Dilapidated state of infrastructure
• Lack of investment to increase production capacity
• Reduction in rainfall

Further reading 

Assessment of current status of energy sector in Burundi (Immaculee Ndarurinze, Bujumbura October 2007) 

References

GTZ (2007): Eastern Africa Resource Base: GTZ Online Regional Energy Resource Base: Regional and Country Specific Energy Resource Database: II - Energy Resource.