NARUC - Global Regulatory Network

Profiles

Rwanda

Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA)

• The RURA is established by Law No 39/2001 and is multisectoral with six sectors to regulate: Telecommunications, Electricity, Gas, Transport, Water and Waste Management.
• The Managing Director and seven Board members were appointed in October 2002 for a three years term, renewable once and are revoked by the order of the Prime Minister.
• The RURA is responsible for setting tariff & price, licensing of companies in the Telecommunications, Energy, Transport, Water and Waste Management sectors as well as monitoring their activities. It also has the responsibility to protect the consumers' rights and facilitate & encourage the private sector participation in investing in public utilities.
• The RURA is financed from the national budget at its outset but is looking forward to getting its full funding from the licensing fees.

Electricity Industry and Market Structure

There exists only one law on Telecommunications; other laws pertaining to other sectors need to be enacted.

Electricity
The monopoly of the Rwanda Water and Electric Power Utility (Electrogaz) was abolished by law No 18/99 in 1999 and is now under a private management for five years; The electricity act is not yet available, so no license or permit have been issued so far.

Gas
A Concession contract and a power purchase Agreement are under negotiation between the Government, Electrogaz and a foreign private company (as an IPP) for the electric power generation from the methane gas reserves of lake Kivu.

Current Energy Issues:

• Drafting and enactment of Laws on electricity, gas, water & sanitation and transport.
• Review of the current structure of electricity and water tariffs and rates.

Key Statistics (2002)

• Population:
8.16 million

• GDP (US$):
1.72 billion

• Electricity generation:
  hydro: .0982 billion kWh

• Electricity consumption:
  .2058 billion kWh

• Electricity imports:
  .0116 billion kWh

• Electricity exports:
  0.0084 billion kWh

• Electricity market size:
  0.231 TWh/year

• Installed capacity:
  .027 million kWh

• Electricity prices for households (US$):
  9¢ per kWh

• Natural gas production:
  - Estd. methane gas reserves:
  55 billion m3 (1.6 billion ft3)
  - Methane gas production:
  0.14 million m3 (0.004 million ft3)

• Natural gas consumption:
  163 tons of LPG (1998)

• Natural gas imports:
  163 tons of LPG (1998)

• Natural gas price for households (US$):
  901/ton of LPG (1998)