| Ruzizi I Hydroelectric Power Station | |
| Name Official: | French: Centrale Hydroélectrique Ruzizi I |
| Location Map: | Rwanda |
| Location Map Caption: | Location on border between Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Coordinates: | -2.5091°N 28.8751°W |
| Location Map Relief: | y |
| Country: | Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Purpose: | P |
| Dam Crosses: | Rusizi River |
| Plant Turbines: | 4 Kaplan turbines |
Ruzizi I Hydroelectric Power Station (French: Centrale Hydroélectrique Ruzizi II) is a hydroelectric power station on the Rusizi River between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Ruzizi I Hydroelectric Power Plant is on the Rusizi River between Rwanda and the DRC.The city of Bukavu, DRC, is to the north and west of the dam, and the settlement of Burongo, Rwanda, is to the southeast.The dam is downstream from the Lake Kivu overflow at the head of the Rusizi River.It is in a V-shaped valley running through a mountainous region that is above sea level at Bukavu, at the head of the river.The catchment area is mostly urban.
The dam and power plant are operated by the Société Nationale d'Électricité (SNEL).The Ruzizi I Gravity Dam is high and long. Lake Kivu serves as the reservoir.Fish ladders were installed during dam construction for migrating fish such as cyprinids.However, the dam operators have not maintained water flows in the ladders.
Ruzizi I was commissioned in 1959.The plant has two 7 MW Kaplan vertical-axis turbines and two 9.1 MW Kaplan vertical-axis turbines.The turbines were commissioned between 1958 and 1973.It has a total power of 29.8 MW. The plant has suffered from technical problems and poor management.As of 2015 Ruzizi I was operating at an average power of about 16 MW.