The RMS community gets pico-hydropower
The Rwenzori Mountaineering Services’ (RMS) community and nearby village was filled with excitement at the sight of electricity after the completion of a 5kW pico-hydropower system on 21st August.
The tourism facility, especially the restaurant, is now busier than ever, with over 100% increment in visitors. People from around the village now camp at the restaurant in the evenings to watch TV, and listen to non-stop music. In addition, they can now charge their phones for free in these first six months of operation.
According to Stanley Baluku, the chairman of RMS, management is looking into investing in productive use to boost their tourism business; they are considering buying machines for bread making, juice and coffee making, and wood curving machines to make huts for sale to tourists.
This project is supported by PSFU in partnership with RMS, and implemented by CREEC. The RMS pico-hydropower plant is one of the many innovations CREEC is promoting in small scale hydropower for communities that are off grid.