The Regional Rusumo Falls Hydroelectric Project achieved a major milestone in June, 2020 with the permanent diversion of the water through the spillway structure with the power intake stop logs securely in position, protecting the headrace tunnel from flowing river conditions, and three out of four spillway radial gates locked open – water now safely moves down river. The second phase of cofferdam construction immediately commenced driving the closure from Tanzania towards Rwanda.
Upon closure, a second smaller cofferdam was constructed, thereby blocking river waters from entering the dry construction with construction of a short and a long gravity dam, and the fourth spillway bay shall be done in the dry, with the pit area.
This work culminates many years of planning and preparation for Phase2 cofferdam works. Works on this aspect of the project is anticipated to be complete in early 2021.
