From All Africa

The government and the African Development Bank recently signed a finance deal in which Rwanda would get $40 million for expanding electricity coverage. The money will go towards construction of the 119 kilometre transmission line from Rusumo Power Plant to Birembo substation in Kinyinya, Gasabo district.

Currently Rwanda has 17% of household with access to electricity but by 2018, the target is to raise this to 70 percent. The plan is to gradually provide the industrial sector, SMEs with adequate but cheap electricity vital for growth.

According to a press release by Ministry of Finance and Economic planning, this was going to help Rwanda achieve a sustainable economic development.

“More employment opportunities will be created with easy access to electricity, plus off farm jobs, which will contribute to industrial development plus reduced production costs because of a reduction on electricity tariffs”, Gatete Claver, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning said. 

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