Powering Development: Mini Hydroelectrification in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo

The facility provides power to approximately 450 homes and businesses and is implemented by Virunga National Park (VNP) and the Virunga Alliance. The project is part of a broader effort to provide economic development and conflict reduction in the region. The facility is a "run-of-the-river" system, where no dam or reservoir is created, and a portion of the river's flow is diverted into a canal, run downhill to the turbines and then returned to the riverbed downstream. This type of facility is cited as having less environmental impact than a dam- and reservoir-based electrical generation system. The theory of change underlying the hydroelectric development projects is that electricity provision can lead to a suite of job and income-generation opportunities previously unavailable, which in turn can lead to improvements in household and community well-being, as well as decreased participation in armed groups. The availability of electricity can lead to job creation, and this article explores the contributions of the Mutsora hydrofacility case study to this theory of change. The community of Mutwanga has historically had limited access to electricity, with some household and business electricity connectivity via public and private generators. However, the vast majority of the population has not had access to electricity. Construction on the Mutsora hydroelectric facility began in October 2010, and electricity distribution started in November 2013. Connections to the grid steadily increased until October 2015, when the facility reached its capacity at 530 connections. The impacts of sustainable energy development and rural electrification are often recognised as beneficial to both poverty reduction and environmental conservation. Early studies of rural electrification in developing countries showed gains in agricultural productivity due to electricity-utilising technology, as well as increased productivity in micro-enterprises and household cottage industries. However, some studies note that rural electrification alone does not bring about vibrant social and economic growth, and that grid-based rural electrification often benefits the wealthier members of a community, rather than the poor. To explore the dynamics and impacts of hydroelectrification in the Rwenzori sector of Beni territory, a mixed-methods approach was developed, utilising randomised stratified sample household surveys, key informant interviews, stakeholder focus groups, and business surveys. A baseline study was conducted in March 2015, and a follow-up study was conducted in October 2015. The research aimed to explore four primary avenues of socio-economic impact for the rural electrification project: public institutions and services, household well-being, small business connections, and agricultural transformation industry. The household sampling strategy involved identifying a sample frame, comprising localités served by the Mutsora facility and all localités with boundaries with that localité. A structured sampling method was used to select households in the treatment area, and a fully randomised sample of households was surveyed from the surrounding localités. The sample size was 405 households from villages within the Mutwanga grid's service area and 505 households from the surrounding (unserved) area.