The Regional Rusumo Falls Project is a trans-boundary project to be implemented by the three partner states of Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda. The power plant is planned to be situated at the Rusumo Falls where the Kagera River forms the boundary between Tanzania and Rwanda, and about two kilometres downstream of the river's confluence with River Ruvubu.
The objective of the Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project is to address the dare need of electricity in the three countries by developing a hydroelectric power plant and regional transmission connecting Burundi, Rwanda and Northwest Tanzania, and support local area development. The Rusumo power project is part of an overall Kagera Basin Integrated Development Framework, which is part of the Nile Basin Initiative.
The feasibility studies for the power generation component have compared three alternative development scenarios: the Full Development Scheme (FDS), Intermediate Development Scheme (IDS), and Run-of-River (RoR) Scheme, including their technical, economic, social and environmental aspects. In February 2012, based on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the IDS, the participating governments selected the RoR scheme with a normal operating water level of 1,320 metres above sea level as the preferred development option given that it minimizes environmental and social impacts of the project, and provides for the least cost implementation for environmental management and resettlement.
Under the Full Development Scheme, seventeen thousand four hundred and fifty (17,450) households were to be affected during construction and operation phases, while seven thousand three hundred and thirty (7,330) households were to be affected under the Intermediate Development Scheme (IDS). In comparison to these two development schemes, only two hundred and twenty three (223) and six hundred and sixty four (664) households will be affected during construction and operations respectively under the Run of River (RoR) Development scheme. Thus justifying the preference by partner countries for the RoR development scheme.
Countries have expressed optimism on the current state of affairs going forward, given the evident pointers to-date. The Project implementation unit (PIU) has been strengthened by recruiting staff to follow up the various activities needed for the implementation of the project. To this far, the Environment and Social Impact Assessment Reports (ESIA) and the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) have now been finalized. The summaries of the ESIA and RAP have been disclosed in the three partner countries and on the World Bank Infoshop; fulfilling one of the World Bank's requirements for the project to be presented to its Board expected to convene in June 2013. The World Bank has said that the Rusumo power project is at "minimum level of comfort for disclosure" and other subsequent World Bank processes. The ESIA and RAP reports have also been submitted to the environmental agencies of the partner countries for project certification.
Speaking to one member of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) from Burundi during the recently concluded Regional Consultative Workshop in Kigali (4-5 February, 2013), where the findings of the ESIA and RAP were discussed and endorsed, he expressed confidence that the project will now move to the implementation phase given the reduced social and environmental impacts. "we are now happy that the impacts have significantly reduced under the RoR option. My country was worried if people were to be resettled. We do not have enough land to settle such large numbers", said the TAC member who preferred to remain anonymous since his voice did not necessarily represent the country's opinion.
Under the FDS and IDS, the project impacts would have affected four districts notably; Kirehe and Ngoma in Rwanda, Ngara in Tanzania and Giteranyi (Muyinga) in Burundi. The impacts have however now reduced to two districts of Kirehe in Rwanda and Ngara in Tanzania under the RoR scheme. With this reduced impacts, the local communities have expressed gratitude and happiness.
During consultations with affected and non affected persons in November 2012, the PIU staff interacted with communities previously marked as "affected" under FDS and IDS to inform them of no project impacts to their areas. The local communities expressed extreme ecstasy over the news. One Kanyange Eugenie resident of Tura village in Muyinga district said "God has answered our prayers...there is no compensation equal to our land left to us by our grand grand fathers". She said this raising her two arms up in the air in a thanks giving posture to thank her creator. "Thank you for the information. Our hearts are at peace now because we have been receiving conflicting information from different people which was worrying us more. We are happy the project will not affect us" said Nyirabibanza Alivera in Ngoma district-Rwanda. "Shall we receive electricity from this power project or we will see 'wires' over our heads taking electricity to city centers. We need electricity for our local clinics, schools and residential houses", challenged Nathaneri Jemadari of Cyivu village in Ngara district in Tanzania. Resonating similar sentiments was Mbonigaba Nicholas of Kabuga village in Kigarama sector, Kirehe district who said "we need to watch television and to do welding activities, but there is no electricity." While the sentiments may vary from village to village, the general mood is that of optimism that the project is headed for implementation phase.
The project construction is expected to commence early 2015 after all studies are concluded and fund approvals from development partners guaranteed. Completion of the construction phase is expected 2018.
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