TotalEnergies inks deal to improve Rwanda’s power sector

A Memorandum of Understanding signed between TotalEnergies and the Rwanda Development Board is expected to help the East African country improve its energy sector.

The deal was signed during a visit to Rwanda by Patrick Pouyanné, the CEO of TotalEnergies.

As part of the deal, TotalEnergies will collaborate with the Rwanda Development Board to enhance hydropower and liquefied natural gas value chains.

The collaboration will cover enhancing production, operation, maintenance, storage and distribution infrastructure and services.

The deal is expected to help Rwanda to improve energy security by diversifying its energy mix. For instance, TotalEnergies will help Rwanda to replace biomass with liquefied natural gas.

TotalEnergies will provide technologies within the electric vehicles charging sector to help Rwanda to embark on electrification and decarbonisation of the transport sector.

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The agreement also includes collaboration on energy storage deployment, the rollout of carbon storage mechanisms, as well as the training of the workforce with new energies and energy transition skills, according to the statement.

As a result of the deal, TotalEnergies incorporated a local branch TotalEnergies Marketing Rwanda Ltd, and opened a permanent representation office in Kigali.

Pouyanné said: “This collaboration agreement illustrates TotalEnergies’ commitment to deploying its multi-energy strategy in Africa, particularly in Rwanda, a country with a booming economy.

“We are pleased to seize this opportunity to work together with Rwanda and contribute to the development of its energy sector, in line with TotalEnergies’ ambition to become a global multi-energy company.”

Clare Akamanzi, the CEO of the Rwanda Development Board added: “The collaboration with TotalEnergies in the energy sector, particularly the investment they will make in clean energy storage, distribution, partnerships with our private sector companies in Rwanda and beyond, is timely for a country that puts the environment at the heart of its development strategies. Additionally, the skills transfer in critical areas such as renewable energies and energy transition will undoubtedly contribute to the development of local expertise in the energy sector.”