Nyabarongo II Multipurpose Dam
The Nyabarongo II Multipurpose Dam, is a multipurpose dam under construction across the Nyabarongo River in Rwanda. The dam will measure high and long, creating a reservoir with storage capacity of. The reservoir is also expected to provide irrigation water to an estimated of land, downstream of the dam site. In addition, the dam will host Nyabarongo II Hydroelectric Power Station, with installed generating capacity of 43.5 megawatts.
Location
Nyabarongo II Dam is located near the town of Shyorongi, in Rulindo District, in the Northern Province of Rwanda. This is approximately northwest of Kigali, the capital and largest city in that country.History
In June 2018, the government of Rwanda, through Energy Development Corporation Limited, a subsidiary of Rwanda Energy Group, agreed with Sinohydro for the latter to build this multipurpose dam to store irrigation water to regulate flooding downstream of this dam and generate 43.5 megawatts of hydroelectric energy to add to the national grid.In April 2019, the agreements between the parties were clarified. Sinohydro was tasked to build the dam and have the components working, no later than 2025. The building model to be used was agreed to be "build, own, operate and transfer". The cost of the project was budgeted at $214 million.
Nyabarongo II Power Station is intended to augment the Nyabarongo I Hydroelectric Power Station, upstream of Nyabarongo II.
Development, funding and timeline
The engineering, procurement, and construction contract was awarded to Sinohydro, the Chinese state-owned hydropower, engineering and construction company, at a contract price of US$214 million.The funds were borrowed by the Government of Rwanda, from the Exim Bank of China on concessional terms.
Construction began in April 2021 and is scheduled to last until December 2026.