Our History

EWSA is a company that distributes power and water in Rwanda.  As a national utility, the company has been in existence since 1976, as ELECTROGAZ.  ELECTROGAZ was founded in 1939 as “REGIDESO” by the colonial masters supplying water, electricity and gas to RWANDA-URUNDI with its Headquarters in Bujumbura. The company was later divided into REGIDESO Rwanda and REGIDESO Burundi in 1963. 

In 1976, REGIDESO Rwanda became ELECTROGAZ and was granted the monopoly for the production and distribution of water and electricity in the country. After the 1994 genocide, there was an increase in urban settlements, thus increased demand for water and electricity. The installed capacity for water and electricity supply could not sustain the increased demand, which called for further investments.

In 1999, a law was passed removing the monopoly on electricity and water supply. This encouraged independent power producers to start their operations. In 2003, ELECTROGAZ was placed under a management contract with Lahmayer International to manage and restructure ELECTROGAZ in collaboration with Hamburg Water Works for 5 years. This lasted for only two years and in March 2006 the management contract was terminated and it reverted to the Government of Rwanda. 

The Board of Directors of the company was asked to appoint new management and restructure the utility to meet the needs of the nation better.  Under the new management, ELECTROGAZ has grown, repositioned and become innovative to serve the customer.  Under law N°43-44/2008 of 09/09/2008, ELECTROGAZ was spilt into RECO (Rwanda Electricity Corporation) and RWASCO (Rwanda Water and Sanitation Corporation). 

• Coordination of all activities related with programmes aimed at development and exploitation of energy sources,
  
• Sensitisation of users of energy of any kind and water in any way possible, as well as sanitation infrastructure,
  
  
• Protection of Lake Kivu and its shores and people residing around it during Methane gas extraction activities,
  
  
• Proper management of electricity infrastructure, gas, petroleum products, water and sanitation,
  
  
• Putting in place a system for transportation and waste management, and
  
  
• Other obligations included in the law establishing EWSA.