Rwanda Opens Bidding for 200 MW Floating Solar and 800 MWh Battery Project

Rwanda has launched a pre-qualification call inviting independent power producers to develop a 200-megawatt floating solar power plant with battery storage on Lake Sake in Ngoma District, Eastern Province.

Tender launched under Rwanda's power producer framework

The call was issued by the Energy Development Corporation Limited (EDCL), a subsidiary of the Rwanda Energy Group (REG). According to the tender announcement, the project will include an 800-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system capable of storing electricity for four hours, along with infrastructure to connect the plant to the national grid.

A site visit is scheduled for October 23, 2026. The battery system is expected to supply electricity during evening peak hours, reduce the loss of excess solar power and improve grid stability. It will also support stable voltage and frequency and enable the power system to restart following a major outage.

Theoneste Higaniro, The director of generation and transmission at EDCL told The New Times that Lake Sake was chosen because of the year-round availability of sunshine in Eastern Province. He added that the government is "still also considering" the Nyabarongo II dam as a site for floating solar panels with a potential capacity of 200 megawatts to boost clean energy generation.

Fits into a USD 3.2 billion capacity build-out

The Lake Sake project forms part of a UISD 3.2 billion plan to increase Rwanda's electricity generation capacity from the current 467.14 MW to 1,066 MW by 2034, according to REG. The government aims to more than double the country's generation capacity by 2034 through major investments in hydropower, solar energy, and emerging technologies such as nuclear power.

Rwanda's installed capacity has grown from 100.4 MW in 2010 to 472.95 MW in 2026, with solar energy accounting for approximately 4.2 percent, or about 12.08 MW of on-grid capacity, of the total electricity generation mix. "The project supports Rwanda's goal of universal electricity access, promotes clean energy for productive uses such as irrigation schemes and industry, and contributes to long-term grid stability," reads the tender announcement.

What successful bidders must deliver

Once selected, bidders will be responsible for the design, supply, installation, testing, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of the 200 MW floating solar plant and the 800-MWh battery energy storage system at Lake Sake. The scope of work covers project development and the studies needed to establish the technical, environmental, social, commercial, and financial viability of the project.

It includes the floating solar PV generation systeM, modules, floating structures, mooring and anchoring, and associated electrical systems, as well as the battery energy storage system, comprising batteries, power conversion, battery management, and auxiliary and safety systems.

The scope also covers the plant's electrical infrastructure, including transformers, switchgear, protection, metering, control, monitoring and communications, along with SCADA and plant control systems and their interface with the national grid. SCADA is an industrial automation and IT system used to monitor, control and analyze power generation, transmission and distribution networks in real time.

In addition, the successful bidder must build the grid connection and power evacuation infrastructure, including the substation and transmission facilities linking to the receiving substation through the nearest 220 kV transmission line, and must carry out testing and commissioning.

25-year power purchase agreement structure

The project is structured as an Independent Power Producer (IPP) scheme under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with REG, through its subsidiary EUCL, which acts as the off-taker. Under the PPA, the bidder will operate and maintain the facility for 25 years. Interested parties are expected to set out their financing schemes and demonstrate their experience in constructing and managing power plants.

Prequalification rules and eligibility

Selection will follow the Public-Private Partnership Guideline of 16 July 2018, and interested parties must submit prequalification documents. Administrative requirements include an application letter confirming interest in prequalification and a company profile covering the main business, countries of establishment and operation, and years in business. Applicants must also provide a copy of the company registration certificate or, for local companies, a trading license. Local companies must additionally submit social security and tax clearance certificates issued within the last six months.

All applicants must provide a signed statement from an authorized representative confirming that the company is in good financial order, is not bankrupt, is not under court administration, has no arrangement with creditors, and has not suspended its business. Applicants may qualify alone or as a Joint Venture, Consortium, or Association (JVCA) with no more than one other company, making the maximum membership two.

A JVCA application must specify the type of association, provide information on every member, identify the lead firm, and include an agreement signed by all members setting out each member's roles and responsibilities. The tender announcement also requires applicants to demonstrate relevant experience and financial capacity, as part of the prequalification process that will determine which independent power producers proceed to develop the Lake Sake floating solar project.