Burundi bets on hydropower to ease chronic electricity shortages
Burundi has inaugurated the Mulembwe hydroelectric plant, a 17-megawatt facility expected to strengthen the country's energy capacity and support future economic growth.
With the inauguration of the 17-megawatt Mulembwe hydroelectric plant, Burundi is seeking to strengthen an electricity network that remains one of the least developed in East Africa, while supporting ambitions for industrialisation and economic growth.
Prime Minister Nestor Ntahontuye on Tuesday inaugurated the Mulembwe hydropower station in southern Burundi, marking the completion of one of the country’s most significant energy projects in recent years. Financed with support from the African Development Bank, the European Union and the World Bank, the facility is expected to increase national generation capacity and improve access to electricity for households and businesses.
The inauguration comes at a time when energy shortages continue to weigh heavily on economic activity. Despite steady progress in recent years, electricity access remains limited in Burundi, particularly in rural areas, while recurrent power cuts have long been cited as a major obstacle to private investment and industrial development.
Authorities view the Mulembwe and Jiji hydroelectric projects as strategic assets capable of reducing pressure on the national grid and supporting large-scale infrastructure programmes, including regional transport projects and the expansion of manufacturing activities.
International partners have also presented the project as an example of the role renewable energy can play in supporting economic transformation while limiting environmental impact. The European Union, which contributed €30 million in grant financing, described access to reliable electricity as a prerequisite for sustainable development and job creation.
Yet challenges remain. Expanding generation capacity is only one part of the equation. Burundi must also invest in transmission networks, maintenance capabilities and household connections if the benefits of new production are to be felt across the country. The government’s objective of providing electricity access to 70 per cent of the population within five years will require substantial additional investment.
For policymakers, the success of Mulembwe will ultimately be measured not only by megawatts produced, but by its ability to stimulate economic activity, attract investment and improve living standards in one of Africa’s fastest-growing yet least electrified economies.
