Rwanda Mountain Tea

Debt : December 2011

BIO has granted a USD 2,629,400 loan to Rwanda Mountain Tea for the installation and operation of a 4 MW hydropower project.

Amount

€ 1,986,637.72

Type of investment

Debt

Development impacts

Access to basic services & goods
Fight against climate change

Beneficiary locations

Africa: Rwanda

Investment field

Infrastructure

Activity

Energy : hydropower

Organisation

Rwanda Mountain Tea

Website

https://www.rwandamountaintea.com/

Domicile

Rwanda

Rwanda Mountain Tea Ltd. established in 2005 with the objective to engage in tea production and related activities. As per 25.08.2009 its articles of association include the generation and sales of electricity as well.

Since 01.03.2010 RMT can be regarded as a holding company responsible for the strategic management of the different tea factory companies it owns:

Rubaya and Nyabihu Tea Factory (Rubaya and Nyabihu were former business units of RMT, now bundled in one company)
Kitabi Tea Factory (“KTC”)
Tea Invest Company (“TIC”)

The present project is a diversification project of RMT: the installation and operation of a 4 MW hydropower project in Nyabihu District, 10-15 km of the Rubaya and Nyabihu tea factories. The electricity generated will be sold to RECO and RWASCO, the Rwandan Electricity and Rwandan Water Company (one public entity).

The hydro project will be a separate business unit of RMT, and will be responsible for an expected 38% of RMT operational revenues as of 2013.

Development impacts

Access to basic services & goods
Currently there is a substantial electricity undersupply in Rwanda (100 MW). Economic development can only occur if basic infrastructure needs are met like improvement in electricity supply.
Fight against climate change
The project will be a run of the river hydro plant with an installed capacity of 4 MW.