A minimum of 1,232 households in Rusizi District within the Western Province shall be eligible for compensation to pave the way in which for land acquisition for the Ruzizi III energy plant on the Rwandan facet.
ALSO READ: Anzana Electrical Group joins 206 MW Rusizi III energy mission execution
The Ruzizi III Regional Hydropower Undertaking is a 206-megawatts regional mission being developed as a public-private partnership between Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda, along with private-sector sponsors Industrial Promotion Companies (the commercial and infrastructure growth arm of the Aga Khan Fund for Financial Growth) and SN Energy (owned by TotalEnergies).
The mission is being developed by Ruzizi III Power Restricted, a special-purpose car established to develop, finance, assemble, and function the mission.
As soon as operational, the electrical energy generated by the mission shall be shared equally amongst Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda, supporting entry to dependable, renewable, and inexpensive electrical energy throughout the area.
ALSO READ: Ruzizi III Hydro Energy mission will get Rwf19bn increase from AfDB
The mission workforce has accomplished the identification, stock, and valuation of land, homes, crops, bushes, and different property that shall be affected by the Ruzizi III Regional Hydropower Undertaking.
An inventory of households who qualify for compensation has now been printed.
June 8, 2026, has been set because the deadline, which means it’s the ultimate date after which any new property or developments on the affected land won’t be thought of for compensation.
The deadline is meant to forestall individuals from including new property after studying that the mission will purchase their land in an try to extend their compensation.
Builders have knowledgeable affected residents that solely land and property recorded by the mission earlier than June 8, 2026 shall be eligible for compensation, and something added after that date won’t be compensated.
“The current declaration of the land acquisition deadline in Rwanda is a crucial milestone within the implementation of the Resettlement Motion Plan (RAP) on the Rwandan facet,” Mohsin Tahir, Undertaking Director at Ruzizi III Power Restricted, mentioned.
ALSO READ: AfDB approves $138 million for Ruzizi III hydropower mission
An estimated $21 million is anticipated to be spent on compensation.
“On the Rwandan facet, primarily based on the land and asset stock undertaken, it’s anticipated that roughly 1,232 affected households shall be eligible for compensation. This shall be finalised and confirmed following the cut-off course of, together with landowners, crop homeowners, tenants, and sharecroppers,” he defined.
The reported 1,232 affected persons are in Rwanda solely, situated within the two sectors.
Within the DRC, the census of these to be affected continues to be underway, so the ultimate variety of affected individuals isn’t but identified.
In Burundi, no individuals shall be displaced.
The whole mission value is $800 million and development is anticipated to begin in first quarter of 2027
Tahir talked about that the mission is being developed in accordance with the legal guidelines and laws of the contracting states, lender necessities, and worldwide good observe.
“This contains the environmental and social processes for the mission, together with land acquisition, compensation, and livelihood restoration,” he mentioned.
ALSO READ: Renewable vitality’s share in Rwanda reaches 52%
The mission is financed by the World Financial institution, African Growth Financial institution, European Union, European Funding Financial institution, Agence Française de Développement, KfW, Worldwide Finance Company, and British Worldwide Funding, amongst others.
In June 2025, Anzana Electrical Group, an American electrical energy firm, expressed curiosity in buying a ten per cent fairness stake in Rusizi III Holding Energy Firm Restricted (RHPCL).
Undertaking builders introduced that Rusizi III Holding Energy Firm Restricted had formally signed a Letter of Intent with Anzana Electrical Group, which might allow Anzana to amass a minority stake within the mission as soon as an settlement is concluded.
As soon as commissioned, Ruzizi III is anticipated to extend Rwanda’s renewable vitality capability by practically 30 per cent, virtually double Burundi’s present put in era capability, and supply much-needed baseload renewable energy to Jap DRC.
ALSO READ: Renewable vitality’s share in Rwanda reaches 52%
Want for extra investments
Serge Wilson Muhizi, Chief Govt Officer at Power Personal Builders (EPD), a community of greater than 150 firms spanning numerous vitality sub-sectors, mentioned Rwanda wants such mega initiatives resulting from rising demand triggered by the e-mobility transition, industrial progress, and speedy urbanisation.
“Rising enterprise alternatives are creating extra want for electrical energy. We’re seeing extra industries and a rise in electrical autos, triggering rising vitality demand,” he noticed.
“Traders count on ample, steady, and inexpensive vitality. Such massive energy initiatives are wanted and can assist present inexpensive energy. Sectors with productive makes use of of vitality have to profit,” he added.
A examine titled Exploring Enabling Power Frameworks for Electrical Mobility in Rwanda warns that electrical mobility might place further pressure on Rwanda’s grid if enlargement isn’t rigorously managed.
Kigali’s peak energy demand is projected to extend by 64 per cent by 2030, even with out electrical autos. The addition of e-mobility will additional pressure the system, and with out upgrades, the variety of overloaded traces may very well be 4 instances increased by 2030.
Harmless Hakizimana, {an electrical} engineer, indicated that Rwanda wants elevated vitality era to maintain speedy financial progress, gas industrial enlargement, and meet formidable common entry targets.
“As a result of electrical energy demand has outpaced provide, producing extra energy is important to forestall outages. We’re shifting from gas to electrical energy, particularly with electrical autos. This doesn’t cut back vitality demand; it shifts the demand to electrical energy, which means we want extra energy,” he mentioned.
Rwanda has a $3 billion funding plan geared toward doubling the nation’s era capability by 2030, together with the mobilisation of $1 billion in private-sector financing.
The plan targets increasing the nation’s put in electrical energy era capability to 1,066 megawatts whereas making certain common electrical energy entry by 2030.
