{"id":55432,"date":"2025-08-31T14:56:52","date_gmt":"2025-08-31T14:56:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/nyabarongo-dam-to-create-67-km-lake-transforming-kigali-and-beyond-photos\/"},"modified":"2025-09-04T13:45:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T13:45:09","slug":"nyabarongo-dam-to-create-67-km-lake-transforming-kigali-and-beyond-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/nyabarongo-dam-to-create-67-km-lake-transforming-kigali-and-beyond-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"Nyabarongo dam to create 67 km lake, transforming Kigali and beyond (Photos)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Currently halfway complete, the 43.5-megawatt dam is expected to be fully operational by 2028. Once completed, it will generate electricity, support irrigation on over 20,000 hectares of farmland, reduce downstream flooding, and create a reservoir holding 803 million cubic metres of water\u2014the fourth-largest in Rwanda.<\/p>\n<p>According to Amb. Uwihanganye, the lake will stretch 67 kilometres from Nyabugogo to Vunga, reshaping the landscape of eight districts, including Nyarugenge, Rulindo, Gakenke, Muhanga, Kamonyi, Nyabihu, Ngororero, and Musanze. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93490 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gzrnhbpbsaar_72.jpg\" alt=\"Photo illustration of the new lake to be created by the Nyabarongo multipurpose dam.\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>The project opens up opportunities across various sectors in the capital, Kigali, and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The opportunities are endless\u2014from maritime transport and real estate to water sports and irrigation, all of which will revolutionise the way we connect in Kigali, the North, South, West, and beyond!&#8221; the state minister said in a post on X.<\/p>\n<p>The Nyabarongo II Hydropower plant is being built between Kamonyi, Gakenke, and Rulindo districts, with the Chinese company Sinohydro serving as the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93487 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gzrnhbnbsaeiao1.jpg\" alt=\" Ambassador Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, Minister of State for Infrastructure, inspected the construction works on Saturday.\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>The project is financed through a $214 million concessional loan from China Exim Bank, stemming from a 2020 framework agreement.<\/p>\n<p>Felix Gakuba, the Managing Director of Energy Development Corporation Ltd (EDCL), told parliament in late June that nearly half of the works had been completed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe powerhouse structure has reached its first level, and the dam\u2019s foundation is finished. Construction of the transmission line is underway, and equipment from China is on its way,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93489 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gzrnhbgamaazkyh.jpg\" alt=\"Photo illustration of the new lake to be created by the Nyabarongo multipurpose dam.\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>Once complete, the dam will provide irrigation to areas along the Nyabarongo, Akagera, and Akanyaru rivers, as well as upstream zones near Lakes Cyohoha and Rweru in Bugesera District, via a major canal from Shyorongi.<\/p>\n<p>The Nyabarongo Dam is expected to be a transformative project for Rwanda, combining energy, water management, agriculture, and recreation, with widespread economic benefits.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93488 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/gzrnhbbayaax9gp.jpg\" alt=\"Currently halfway complete, the 43.5-megawatt dam is expected to be fully operational by 2028. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93484 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/542659048_1085753630413021_5324203776150616286_n.jpg\" alt=\"The lake will stretch 67 kilometres from Nyabugogo to Vunga. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93485 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/540414880_1085753023746415_4065299980907753416_n.jpg\" alt=\"The Nyabarongo II Hydropower plant is being built between Kamonyi, Gakenke, and Rulindo districts, with the Chinese company Sinohydro serving as the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor. \" \/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"spip-document spip-document-93486 aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/jpg\/540273325_1085752290413155_534314493311106966_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new lake, twice the size of Lake Muhazi, is set to emerge just 20 minutes from Nyabugogo with the construction of the Nyabarongo multipurpose dam, Ambassador Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye, Minister of State for Infrastructure, announced on Sunday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000093491,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[72,75],"byline":[192],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-55432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-featured-news-home","tag-homenews","byline-wycliffe-nyamasege"],"bylines":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default 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