THE explanations of Regideso on the incessant power cuts, no longer convince anyone. Chow to explain this situation in a country which is, according to the Director General of Regideso, « at a stage of energy revolution thanks to the construction of hydroelectric dams” ? Analyse.
Let’s go back to 2017 to understand. At the time, the Minister ofEnergy and Mining, Côme Manirakiza announces the end of the load shedding system, thanks to a contract signed with the company Interpetrol to build a thermal power plant.
In 2023at the close of the 15th Council of Ministers in charge of energy, of the three countries sharing the Rusumo falls dam, the Minister ofEnergy and Mines, Ibrahim Uwizeye announced that from December 2023, the dam will be operational. Here, a question remains: when will the connection of the Rusumo falls dam be finalized?
In 2024, the Director General of Regideso reassured Burundians that this institution was working to provide a lasting solution to this issue. According to him, Burundi is at a stage of energy revolution thanks to the construction of hydroelectric dams. Yet…
Electricity, always a luxury
Every morning around 7 a.m., the power is cut off in many neighborhoods of Bujumbura, only to be restored at 10 a.m. One or two hours later, depending on the wishes of the Regideso technicians, the power starts or returns: “ During the day, we can experience up to four power cuts, which makes our activities difficult. », says Saïdi, a hairdresser we met in Kamenge. And he’s not the only one complaining. Everywhere in Bujumbura, the most common phrase among all residents is: “ There is no power…”
But then, if the construction of the Rusumo Falls hydroelectric plant and the Ruzibazi power plant is completed, how can we explain that Regideso has so many difficulties adequately supplying the population with electricity?
Are national development plans feasible?
The implementation of national development plans, in particular the National Development Plan 2018-2027, raises questions about their feasibility. For the vision of Burundi as an emerging country in 2040 and a developed country in 2060, I remain doubtful.
Currently, the National Plan is halfway through its implementation. Among the pillars of this plan is the increase in energy production to create an environment favorable to industrialization. However, according to the figures, current electricity production hovers around 100 MW, at a time when this plan provides for at least 400 MW for its industrialization and 412 MW for the mining sector in 2027. It is crucial to highlight this disparity. Wouldn’t the PND be utopian?
Getting Burundi out of this situation therefore becomes a real challenge. According to figures from the World BankBurundi has experienced profound electricity supply crises since 2009. So, if we see that this country benefits from all the conditions required to compensate for its energy deficit, it therefore becomes imperative to ask the following question: where is it stuck?
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2024-02-07 09:46:06