A view of the Burundi Ruzibazi Hydropower Station.
The one-year maintenance period for the Burundi Ruzibazi Hydropower Station, designed and constructed by POWERCHINA, came to an end on Aug 17.
As the largest and most advanced hydroelectric power station in Burundi in terms of monthly power generation, it has increased the nation's power generation capacity by nearly one-third since all units went into operation, meeting the electricity demands of the capital city of Bujumbura. One of the power station's generating units provides a stable electricity supply to seven surrounding villages.
As of Aug 17, the station's cumulative power generation had reached 109.63 million kWh, far surpassing the design's annual average power generation of 85 million kWh.
The Ruzibazi Hydropower Station is China's largest aid project in Burundi. It is located downstream of the Ruzibazi River in the southern part of Bujumbura andhas an installed capacity of 15,000 kilowatts.
Construction officially started on Oct 15, 2018, and the final unit completed its trial run in July 2022. All three units of the power station achieved grid-connected power generation in the same month, more than three months ahead of schedule.
During construction, POWERCHINA hired local staff and trained over 1,200 technical workers. The company also engaged in activities such as repairing primary schools, installing solar streetlights, building water reservoirs, and repairing roads.
