Meeting electricity demand by renewable energy in a landlocked country-Burundi

It is estimated that Burundi has a hydropower potential of 1370 MW with an annual production of 6000 GWh. However, only 300 MW of this potential could be economically exploited. The author outlines how during the 1981-83 period, various hydropower sites were studied and finally the Rwegura site on the Kitenge river was selected as it was the only site that could meet its power demand for the 1991 horizon. It also had the advantage that a large reservoir could be constructed without expropriation of forest land and without displacement of the population