Master students from Energy Centre visit Ntaruka Hydropower Plant to gain practical skills

18-05-2021

40 Master students from African Centre of Excellence in Energy for Sustainable Development (ACEESD) specializing in Energy Economics, Renewable Energy and Electrical Power Systems visited Ntaruka Hydropower plant to have their theoretical skills linked with technical experience.

During this visit, students were taken through the whole process of power generation from creation of water reservoir at Ruhondo Lake, processing and supply of generated electricity to different parts of the country.

Students at Ntaruka Hydropower

Habiyaremye Theogene, a Master student in science in Electrical Power System, one of these students, finds this visit very fruitful. He says during the visit they identified the relationship between the modules they learn in class and the real business.

‘When we are in class, we sometimes doubt if really what we are leaning in class theoretically can technically match with what is expected to be performed at the site” said Habiyaremye adding that they learnt different modules related to signal processing and now they toured the control room at the site and technical expert explained really how they work.

Aphrodis Nduwamungu, a Research Laboratory Engineer at the Centre says that when students visit this kind of plants ; their minds are open to the real business as they get more explanations from the expert at the site who deals with technical work to be matched with the theoretical skills they have been receiving from lecturers.

A culture of taking students to various hydropower plants has got support at ACEESD after identifying that it is a good approach to ensure students complete their program fully equipped with both theoretical and technical skills to be much more competent while at the labor market.

Ntaruka Hydropower plant is located in Burera District of the Northern Province of Rwanda and is one of the ancient Hydropower plants, which was constructed during the colonial period and generates around 10.5 MW.

Story by
Jean Damascène NIYITEGEKA
Communication & Marketing Specialist/SPIU