Rwanda: How Gisagara Peat Power Plant Could Double Production to 70mw

What the report says

Rwanda is reviewing an investor proposal that could help the Gisagara peat-fired power plant run year-round by stockpiling peat during the dry season, according to the country’s infrastructure minister, Damien Murwanashyaka, as reported by The New Times and distributed by AllAfrica. The plant, also known as the Hakan Power Plant, is in Mamba Sector of Gisagara District in southern Rwanda, next to the peat extraction area.

The facility began construction in 2017 and started feeding electricity into the national grid in 2021. Officials say it was designed for 70MW of output, but current production is much lower because peat mining slows or stops during the rainy season. The report says the plant is now generating about 30MW to 35MW, with limited peat supply and flooding in the extraction zone among the main constraints.

Murwanashyaka said the proposal under review would allow enough peat to be extracted and stored in advance so the plant could keep operating during wetter months. Plant managers have also pointed to rising water levels in the Akanyaru River and to the need for a larger extraction area. The report says the plant currently draws peat from about 300 hectares, while management wants that expanded to roughly 800 hectares.

The issue matters because Rwanda is seeking to raise electricity supply while improving the reliability of existing generation assets. The report also noted that the country’s overall generation capacity has risen and that authorities want further growth by 2029.