Rwanda has started the construction of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage facilities in the capital city of Kigali to ensure the stable supply of gas for its growing population as part of efforts to cut down the use of wood for cooking, an official said on 14th July.
The project worth 37.7 billion Rwandan francs (about 32 million U.S. dollars) in Gasabo district is expected to be completed by mid of 2025 with the 1st storage facility set to be in place within a year, said Jean Gashumba who is in charge of the project.
“The construction for 3 storage facilities will be done in 2 phases. Once complete, the facilities will have the capacity to store 17.1 million litres of gas,” Gashumba told reporters in Kigali. The project is funded by the government in partnership with a private company, according to the official.
The new facilities are expected to stabilize cooking gas prices in the country, according to Rwandan Minister of Infrastructure Ernest Nsabimana.
According to the ministry, Rwanda has capacity to store less than 14 days’ worth of gas. However, the new facilities will ensure cooking gas reserves that can last for roughly 3 months.
The LPG consumption in the country stands at about 3.5 million kilograms per month. Results of the Rwanda national population and housing census conducted in 2022 showed that 76 % of households still used firewood for cooking while 17 % used charcoal. The government envisages to reduce the reliance on wood fuel for cooking to 42 % by 2024.
