Learning from Failure: A Case Study of Repairing a Pico-hydropower System in Rwanda

In November 2019, a joint team from Colorado State University and the University of Rwanda intervened to repair a failed pico-hydropower plant in southwestern Rwanda. In a common outside-intervention model, the plant had been constructed by U.S. university team that later, for unknown reasons, couldn't provide additional intervention. The system had failed in 2016 after three years of operation. The qualitative analysis completed during the repair visit identified three primary issues which led to system failure: shortage of local management and technical skills resulting in poor maintenance and no financial reserves, poor local availability of common materials and tools needed for maintenance, and lack of community education to manage the plant. The analysis also includes an assessment of progress on these issues. While immediate technical issues have been resolved and training improved, fundamental operational processes require substantial additional work. The objective of this paper is to highlight, as is too infrequently the case, a failed village electrification project. Only by illuminating what isn't working can the development community learn the best practices.