Jiji and Murembwe Hydroelectric Project

Jiji and Murembwe Hydroelectric Project
Jiji and Murembwe Hydroelectric Project is located in Burundi
Jiji and Murembwe Hydroelectric Project
Jiji and Murembwe Hydroelectric Project
Location within Burundi
Official nameFrench: Projet Hydroélectrique de Jiji et Murembwe
CountryBurundi
Coordinates3°53′18″S 29°33′29″E / 3.888450°S 29.557970°E / -3.888450; 29.557970
PurposePower
StatusOperational
Opening date24 June 2025 (Jiji), 16 June 2026 (Mulembwe)
Construction costUS$320 million for both stations
OwnerREGIDESO Burundi
OperatorREGIDESO Burundi
Dam and spillways
ImpoundsMulembwe River, Jiji River
Height
434 metres (1,424 ft) for Jiji
256 metres (840 ft)for Mulembwe
Power Station
Installed capacityTotal 50 megawatts (67,000 hp) with
  • 32.5 megawatts (43,600 hp) for Jiji
  • 17.5 megawatts (23,500 hp) for Mulembwe

The Jiji and Murembwe Hydroelectric Project (French: Projet Hydroélectrique de Jiji et Murembwe, PHJIMU) was a project to build two hydroelectric power stations with shared infrastructure in the former Bururi Province (part of current Burunga Province) of Burundi. Both stations were completed and are fully operational. Jiji hydroelectric power station was completed and inaugurated on 24 June 2025[1]. Mulembwe station was completed and inaugurated on 16 June 2026[2].

Components

The project was undertaken for REGIDESO Burundi, part of the Ministry of Hydraulics, Energy and Mines. It included building two run-of the river hydroelectric power plants in the Songa Commune of the former Bururi Province and the Buyengero Commune of the former Rumonge Province both part of present day Burunga Province , in southern Burundi.[3] Contractors include CMC (Italy), ORASCOM (Egypt), KEC International (India) for the transmission lines and VINCI (France) for the associated stations.[4]

Jiji Hydroelectric Power Plant

The Jiji Hydroelectric Power Plant on the Jiji River exploits a head height of 434 metres (1,424 ft) with a capacity of 32.5 MW.[3] The Jiji hydroelectric power station is near the point where the Jiji River joins the Murembwe River. The Jiji dam is upstream, directing water along a supply conduit to a tunnel which leads to the forebay. From there a penstock carries the water down to the power station.[5]

It was officially inaugurated par President Évariste Ndayishimiye on 24 June 2025 [6].

Murembwe Hydroelectric Power Plant

The Murembwe Hydroelectric Power Plant on the Murembwe River (Mulembwe River) exploits a head height of 256 metres (840 ft) with a capacity of 17.5 MW.[3] The Mulembwe hydroelectric power station is upstream from the Jiji River junction. It has a similar configuration, with a dam directing water through a tunnel to the penstock.[5]

Transmission

A 110 kV power line runs 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) north from the Jiji station up the Mulembwe River to the Mulembwe station, where it is joined by a 110 kV power line from that station. The two lines run east 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) to the Horezo switchyard on RP 403 highway. From there, lines run north towards Kabezi and Bujumbura, and southeast towards Bururi.[5] Other components include two 110 kV switching stations at the Jiji and Mulembwe hydroelectric plants, a 110/30 kV substation in Horezo, a 110/30/10 kV substation in Kabezi, extensions to existing substations, about 107.2 kilometres (66.6 mi) of 110 kV transmission lines, as well as distribution lines.[3]

It was inaugurated on 16 June 2026 by Prime Minister Nestor Ntahontuye[7].

Finance

The total project cost was extimated at US$270 million. The African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a grant of $22 million on 23 June 2014 in Tunis.[8] Other funding is supplied by the World Bank (US$100 million), the European Investment Bank (US$95 million), the African Development Bank ($US$22 million), the European Union (US$36.6 million), the Government of Burundi (US$14,3 million) and REGIDESO (US$2.5 million).[3]

The project was initially scheduled for completion in December 2023. In February 2024 Regideso announced that the Jiji station would be commissioned by 30 December 2024 and the Mulembwe station by 30 March 2025.[4] After cost overruns, effective May 2024 work continued at Jiji and Mulembwe under additional financing of US$102 million, of which the World Bank contributed US$50 million.[9]

Events

The Burundian government started the project to build hydroelectric dams on the Jiji and Murembwe rivers in 2013. Work began in 2020 after seven years of study. Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni, prime minister of Burundi, visited the sites in June 2021. He said work on the access roads was going well, work had started on the Jiji River and would start soon on the Murembwe River.[10]

In December 2022 there were torrential rains in Muheka colline, below the Nyakigo colline, but officials of the ORASCOM company said the Jiji Murembwe Hydroelectric Power Station was not badly affected. The director general of REGIDESO Burundi asked ORASCOM to speed up the work.[11]

In September 2022 Gervais Ndirakobuca, prime minister of Burundi, visited the two hydroelectic dams, where he observed cracks in the structures.[12]

On 24 June 2025, Jiji hydroelectric power station was officially inaugurated by President Évariste Ndayishimiye[13] adding 32.5 Mw to the national grid.

Murembwe Hydroelectric power station was subsequently inaugurated on 16 June 2025 by Prime Minister Nestor Ntahontuye[14].

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Inauguration par le Président Ndayishimiye de la Centrale Hydroélectrique de Jiji". Ntare Rushatsi House. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  2. ↑ "Inauguration du barrage hydroélectrique de Mulembwe par Son Excellence le Premier ministre". Primature de la République du Burundi. 16 June 2026. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Projet Hydroélectrique Jiji et Murembwe.
  4. 1 2 Ndirariha 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 Faller 2014, pp. 3–5.
  6. ↑ "Inauguration par le Président Ndayishimiye de la Centrale Hydroélectrique de Jiji". Ntare Rushatsi House. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "Inauguration du barrage hydroélectrique de Mulembwe par Son Excellence le Premier ministre". Primature de la République du Burundi. 16 June 2026. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  8. ↑ Barrage Jiji-Murembwe : La BAD.
  9. ↑ Jiji et Mulembwe sous le financementadditionnel.
  10. ↑ Ndereyimana 2021.
  11. ↑ La centrale hydroélectrique de Jiji Murembwe.
  12. ↑ Manirakiza 2022.
  13. ↑ "Inauguration par le Président Ndayishimiye de la Centrale Hydroélectrique de Jiji". Ntare Rushatsi House. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  14. ↑ "Inauguration du barrage hydroélectrique de Mulembwe par Son Excellence le Premier ministre". Primature de la République du Burundi. 16 June 2026. Retrieved 18 June 2026.

Sources

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