The project, currently 57% complete, has already created 560 jobs and plans to install floating solar panels, marking a milestone in the country's push for renewable energy.
Once operational, the dam will generate 43.5 megawatts of electricity and give rise to a 67-kilometre lake, the fourth-largest in Rwanda, stretching from Kamonyi and Gakenke to Muhanga, Ngororero, and Nyabihu.
The lake will reach a depth of 59 metres and hold 803 million cubic metres of water, reshaping landscapes and opening new opportunities for irrigation, flood control, and water-based activities.
The project is being constructed by the Chinese company Sinohydro Corporation and represents the first phase of the Nyabarongo II Multipurpose Development Project. Beyond power generation, it will support irrigation along the Nyabarongo, Akagera, and Akanyaru rivers, reduce flooding downstream, and improve access to clean water for surrounding communities.
According to the Energy Development Corporation Ltd (EDCL), the dam's powerhouse, where turbines will convert water into electricity, is 54.5% complete, while the water-retaining wall has reached 41%. The transmission lines connecting the dam to the national grid are 6.4% complete, and the outlet channel for excess water is 32.6% built.
So far, $93 million has been spent, representing 43.7% of the $214 million budget, while Italian firm Studio Pietrangeli oversees construction supervision, having spent €2.8 million (56% of the €5.2 million planned).
Mushuti Anicet, EDCL official overseeing the project, highlighted the technical challenge of converting river water into energy:
'To generate hydropower, we rely on two things: sufficient water volume and the height from which it falls. The river was in a valley, so we built a wall to hold the water and allow it to rise to the height we need. It will eventually reach 59 metres; currently, it stands at 15 metres.'
Originally, the project was designed to produce 37.5 MW, but an upgrade in 2018 increased its capacity to 43.5 MW, adding to Rwanda's total hydropower capacity of 406.4 MW. The government aims to achieve universal electricity access by 2029, up from the current 86%.
The floating solar component will generate 200 megawatts and store energy for use during periods without sunlight, making Nyabarongo II one of the first projects in Rwanda to combine hydropower and solar energy on such a large scale.
As the dam rises and the lake begins to take shape, the project is already impacting local communities. Roads are being upgraded, water transport routes prepared, and employment opportunities expanded. Officials say these developments will create a ripple effect for irrigation, agriculture, and other water-based economic activities across the region.
IGIHE
