Pre-investment study for the regional Transmission line Kibuye (Rwanda) - Goma (DRC) - Birembo (Rwanda)

The line is part of the regional power transmission project under NELSAP. The objective of the project is to create a regional power exchange market among the five NELSAP countries Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda with the consequence of low cost of power supply, systems' stability, security of supply and optimization in the use the energy resources. The project seeks to improve the living conditions of the people, as well as the quality of the socioeconomic development environment of the regions, based on the availability of affordable electric energy and access by the communities to electricity through increased cross-border electric power trade.  While the funding for the project has been largely secured and the preparatory activities for the other lines under the NELSAP project are well advanced, the pre-investment study for the line from Kibuye-Goma-Birembo remains to be undertaken. The ITF grant aims at accelerating the implementation of this transmission line and thereby the completion of the regional transmission grid. The investment costs of the Kibuye-Goma-Birembo line have already been allocated by the German Government and the African Development Bank. The Government of the Netherlands is prepared to cofinance and will make a formal decision once the results of the feasibility study are available.

The grant would be used for the preparation of the 220 kV transmission line from Kibuye (Rwanda) via Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC) to Birembo (Rwanda). The Rwandan Ministry of Infrastructure as contracting agency would contract an international consultant to conduct a feasibility study (including an environmental and social impact assessment) as well as the detail design and tender documents for the transmission line.