Burundi’s state water and power utility, La Régie de Production et Distribution d’Eau et d’Electricité (REGIDESO), has launched an international tender to connect the Rusumo Falls hydropower plant, a regional project which is being built on the river Kagera at the common border of Rwanda and Tanzania, to its national grid.
Sealed bids are sought by 4 December for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of a 220 kV line linking the Rusumo Falls plant via the northern city of Muyinga to the central city of Gitega, as well as a 30 kV line between Musasa and Muyinga and new substations at Gitega and Muyinga. The plant is on the south side of the bank of the Kagera in Tanzania, while the substation is on the northern side of the river in Rwanda. The 80 MW project is being developed by the Governments of Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania through the commonly owned Rusumo Power Company (RPCL). Each of the three partner governments and their utilities are responsible for the evacuation of power from the plant to their respective countries.
The cost of the transmission component of the project is being financed by grants from the African Development Fund and the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund. The bidding documents may be purchased upon written request to the offices of the Multinational d’Interconnexion des Réseaux Electriques des Pays des Lacs Equatoriaux du Nil (PMIREL-PLEN) and against payment of a non-refundable fee of US$ 500 or the equivalent in BIF at the exchange rate of the Bank of Republic of Burundi (BRB), of which US$ 250 to the account of the Rusumo Falls-Gitega Project N ° 1101/169 at the BRB and US$ 250 to the General Treasury account N ° 1101 / 001.04 opened at the BRB. Tenders must be accompanied by a bid guarantee of no less than US$ 800 000 for Lot 1 (Rusumo – Muyinga – Gitega transmission line and 30 kV line between Musasa and Muyinga), and US$ 400 000 for Lot 2 (substations at Gitega and Muyinga).
For further information, contact the Projet Multinational d’Interconnexion des Réseaux Electriques des Pays des Lacs Equatoriaux du Nil (PMIREL-PLEN), BICOR House, Avenue du Luxemburg; Bujumbura, Burundi; Tel: +257 62 201 037; +257 62 201 214; Email: pmirelplen3@gmail.com with copies to niyoneie@gmail.com and rusumo@wsp.com.
