WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

small- and micro-hydro plants in rural areas, while the
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and ABER inter
alia operate another 12 micro hydro plants. 4
SHP installed capacity
SHP potential
15.8 MW
54 MW
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Figure 2 Small hydropower capacities in Burundi
Source: Based on author calculations and Burundi
Ministry of Energy and Mines 2
Installed small hydropower capacities in Burundi
Power Plant
Installed capacity Remarks
(MW)
Mugere 8.00 Refurbished 2003
Nyemanga 2.88
Ruvyironza 1.50 Refurbished 2005
Gikonge 1.00 Refurbished 2005
Kayenzi 0.85
Marangara 0.25
Buhiga 0.24
6 stand-alone plants 0.47
12 private plants 0.65
Sources: Sahiri and Mbazumutima 3 , African Development Bank 4 ,
Burundi Ministry of Energy and Mines 2.
In the 1980s, a study by Lahmeyer established that
there were 41 potential hydropower sites for Burundi
with a capacity of 1,700 MW, of which 300 MW were
technically and economically feasible. 6 Recently,
REGIDESO launched a study with a stepwise approach.
Ten hydropower sites with capacities less than 10 MW,
which had been identified in the 1980’s master plan,
were selected to be screened again. Pre-feasibility
studies were conducted for four selected sites, followed
by the feasibility study of two selected sites. A 2012-
study showed that through optimization for most of the
given sites, the real small hydropower potential is much
higher than outlined in the master plan study. There
have been 156 sites identified with potential of
hydropower, out of which fewer than 30 have been
explored. 2
In the short term, the Government intends to develop
small run-of-river hydropower plants. An ongoing World
Bank project includes US$1.5 million pre-feasibility and
feasibility studies of potential hydropower sites with
capacities ranging between 1 MW and 7.5 MW, which
could be connected to the grid at reasonable cost. It is
assumed that these hydropower plants could be
realized in approximately two years, considering that no
major dam construction is required. 4
Burundi has significant growth potential in agriculture,
notably coffee, tea, and sugar. 1 Tea export itself
accounts for 20 per cent of the total national export of
Burundi. Members of the East African Tea Trade
Association (EATTA) were selected for the initiative
known as Greening the Tea Industry in East Africa
(GTIEA) implemented by UNEP and the African
Development Bank. The GTIEA aims to invest in small
hydropower in order to reduce tea production energy
costs, currently six small hydro projects are running in
four EATTA countries with capacities of 10 MW each. 7
Renewable energy policy
Renewable energy policies in Burundi were
implemented after the Rio conference of 1992. August
2000 experienced the enactment of Law No. 1/014 on
the liberalization and regulation of the water and
electricity sector, officially removing the title of
monopoly from the REGIDESO and allowing the import
of energy from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of
Congo, and greater private and or public business
participation. 2 The energy sector policy and the poverty
reduction strategy, both implemented in 2006, aided in
the popularization of renewable energy in Burundi. This
then lead to the establishment of the regulator body of
Ministry of Energy and Mines in late 2007, which are
responsible for policy and regulation of the energy and
water sectors. 2
The recent years have also experienced policy
implementations to further enhance renewable energy
in Burundi. Year 2010 saw the realization of the
presidential decree 100/80 on the structure and mission
of the Government that places vital importance on
renewable energy. The decree coupled with the Energy
Strategy and Action Plan for Burundi (2011) provides a
strong platform for the future of renewable energy in
Burundi.
In addition to the decrees and other regulatory policies,
Burundi has modified many economic instruments to
ease process of foreign investment for renewable
energy so that it can be executed within the country.
Some of these reforms are discussed below.
Burundi has changed investment procedures to what
the Government called a ‘one-stop shop’ effective from
March 2012. The registration procedure requires no
minimum capital requirements and investors are
protected by easier methods to initiate lawsuits against
harmful transactions within the country. Moreover,
foreign investors are invited to be holders of local
companies without an obligation for local participation. 2
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