Maintenance of Hydropower Potential in Rwanda Through Ecosystem Restoration

The document details Rwanda's 2004 electricity crisis, caused by declining water levels in Lake Bulera due to watershed degradation and poor maintenance of the Ntaruka hydropower station. In response, the government implemented strict land-use policies, including banning agricultural activities in the Rugezi Wetlands, and launched ecosystem restoration projects. These efforts restored the Ntaruka plant to full capacity by October 2007 and prompted Rwanda to diversify its energy portfolio into methane, geothermal, and solar power to increase climate resilience.

• A severe electricity crisis in 2004 was primarily driven by a decline in generation capacity at the Ntaruka hydropower station, which resulted from falling water levels in Lake Bulera. This decline was caused by a combination of poor management of the Rugezi Wetlands, human-driven degradation of the Rugezi-Bulera-Ruhondo watershed, inadequate station maintenance, and reduced precipitation.
• The 2004 crisis had significant economic impacts, including a reliance on expensive diesel generators that cost the country up to USD 65,000 per day. Consequently, electricity rates rose from 7 to 14 US cents/kWh in 2004-05, and further increased to 22 US cents/kWh in 2005-06.
• To restore hydropower potential, the Rwandan government enacted the Environment Law (2005) and Land Law (2005), which designated wetlands as state land and restricted agricultural and pastoral activities within 10 meters of streams and 50 meters of lake banks. The government also halted drainage activities in the Rugezi Wetlands.
• The government implemented a variety of ecosystem restoration and livelihood support measures to offset the impact of land-use restrictions. These included reforestation, the construction of erosion control structures, the planting of bamboo and Pennisetum grasses around the Rugezi Wetlands, and the promotion of beekeeping and improved cookstoves.
• Restoration efforts successfully returned the Ntaruka hydropower station to full operational capacity by October 2007. By 2009, power production reached 7 MW at Ntaruka and 11 MW at the Mukungwa station.
• The energy crisis prompted Rwanda to diversify its energy portfolio to reduce vulnerability to hydrological changes. The country began developing methane gas from Lake Kivu, geothermal energy, peat deposits, solar, and biogas resources, with a goal of generating 1,000 MW for domestic use and export by 2017.
• Climate projections for Rwanda indicate an increase in average maximum annual temperatures of 1.5 to 3.0°C by the 2050s. While precipitation trends are uncertain, models agree there will be an intensification of rainfall during the rainy season, increasing the risk of flooding, landslides, and erosion.

APA

Hove, H., Parry, J.-E., & Lujara, N. (n.d.). Maintenance of Hydropower Potential in Rwanda Through Ecosystem Restoration. World Resources Institute. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/wrr_case_study_ecosystem_restoration_rwanda_0.pdf

Chicago

Hove, Hilary, Jo-Ellen Parry, and Nelson Lujara. Maintenance of Hydropower Potential in Rwanda Through Ecosystem Restoration. World Resources Institute, n.d. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/wrr_case_study_ecosystem_restoration_rwanda_0.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hove |first1=Hilary |last2=Parry |first2=Jo-Ellen |last3=Lujara |first3=Nelson |title=Maintenance of Hydropower Potential in Rwanda Through Ecosystem Restoration |publisher=World Resources Institute |url=https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/wrr_case_study_ecosystem_restoration_rwanda_0.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hovendmaintenance, author = {Hove, Hilary and Parry, Jo-Ellen and Lujara, Nelson}, title = {{Maintenance of Hydropower Potential in Rwanda Through Ecosystem Restoration}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/wrr_case_study_ecosystem_restoration_rwanda_0.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }