Senators Seek Answers from REG Over Frequent Power Outages.

REG Chief Executive Officer Eng. Maximilien Byilingiro appeared before the Senate Committee on Economy and Finance on Thursday, September 10, 2026, to explain the causes of the interruptions and measures being taken to address them. 

The senators said they continued to receive complaints from businesses and other electricity consumers about frequent outages.

Committee chairperson Fulgence Nsengiyumva said members had visited schools, health facilities and other institutions that rely heavily on electricity, where consumers raised concerns about both unreliable supply and low voltage.

“Although figures from 2024 show that electricity had reached 84% of the population, Rwandans are reporting challenges they face in using it. They are concerned that sudden power outages and being supplied with electricity of insufficient voltage could damage their equipment,” he said.

Byilingiro said some outages are unavoidable when REG is carrying out maintenance and upgrading work on the electricity networks.

“When we are upgrading some of the electricity networks, there are times when it becomes necessary for certain areas to lose electricity so that the rehabilitation work can be carried out. We are currently changing the way these networks operate so that we can establish alternative ways of supplying electricity, allowing consumers to receive power through those alternative routes while the networks they normally use are being rehabilitated,” he said.

He said the alternative supply arrangements are already being used in parts of Kigali, including Gahanga, Gikondo and Nzove.

According to Byilingiro, some consumers in Gikondo, for example, are now receiving electricity through networks connected to Nzove and Gahanga while the network they normally depend on is undergoing rehabilitation. 

He said the approach is intended to reduce the impact of planned maintenance and improve the reliability and voltage of electricity supplied to consumers.

REG is also upgrading its communication systems so that consumers can receive advance information about planned outages. 

“We are upgrading our communication system so that citizens will be informed whenever there is a planned power outage,” he said.

The issue of electricity reliability comes as Rwanda continues to expand its generation capacity and access to electricity. REG has said its priority is to provide reliable and uninterrupted electricity to all Rwandans, with the country targeting universal electricity access by 2029. 

Byilingiro said Rwanda currently has an installed electricity capacity of 476.9 megawatts (MW), while the target under the second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) is to increase this to 615MW by 2029.

Renewable energy accounts for 56.2% of the country's installed generation capacity, with a target of increasing the share to 60% by 2029.

On electricity access, Byilingiro said the national rate had reached about 88%, with 63% of consumers connected through the national grid and 25% receiving electricity through off-grid solutions.

Recent REG figures similarly show that more than 2.9 million households, equivalent to about 87%, have access to electricity, while the institution is targeting 100% access by 2029 

The government is also pursuing new generation and transmission projects as demand grows. Among them is the 43.5MW Nyabarongo II hydropower project, which REG expects to complete by the end of 2027 and which is expected to strengthen the reliability of power supply.

The senators' concerns, however, highlight the gap between expanding access to electricity and ensuring that consumers receive a stable and reliable supply capable of supporting households, businesses and essential public services.