RPCL Governance appraises progress of Rusumo Project
RPCL Board of Directors hybrid meeting on 19th-20th August 2021 at Rusumo Project site to assess and deliberate on Rusumo Project progress. The overall construction progress progress of the Regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project (RRFHP) is at 80.7 % as of July 2021. The construction phase is being implemented by the Project Implementation Unit of the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program Coordination Unit (NELSAP-CU), an investment arm of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) on behalf of Rusumo Power Company Limited.
According to Rusumo Project Manager, Eng. Darren Protulipac, the combined Civil and Electromechanical Works continues working inside the cofferdam area and concrete placement for the dam structure, in the headrace tunnel this month, the administration building works.
Civil works are now at 83.9% and Electro-mechanical works are now at 74.8% with a total workforce of about 750 employees for the whole Project.
The river water was allowed to freely flow through the three open spillway gates and the hollow sill dyke ecological compensation flow structure. River levels continued to fall – albeit only marginally - on the order of 380 mm (adjacent to the intake area).
Spillway Bay gate number 4 was further advanced this month. Works at headrace tunnel are continuing and concrete lining construction including at the inlet chamber area.
Some work was done on the penstocks as weld acceptance testing work continues.
Powerhouse civil works continued this month with concrete being placed around a scroll case, and downstream wall - and the building of internal masonry walls.
RPCL administration building and switchyard control room, and within both residential camps.
The electro-mechanical contractor continued work on the second stator and first rotor within the service bay, and water passage steel scroll case water pressure testing was commenced at unit 3.
Electro-mechanical works at the switchyard consisted mainly of stringing the balance of remaining cables – in preparation to receive the outgoing lines.
However, Covid-19 continues to interfere with the management of Rusumo Project; both RPCL and PIU have been impacted by the pandemic.
