Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited is a Rwandan Independent Power Producer that extracts methane gas from Lake Kivu and generates 56 MW of electricity under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with state utility EUCL for delivery into Rwanda's national grid.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersRubavu District, Rwanda
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited does
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited (SPLK) is a Rwandan Independent Power Producer (IPP) that develops and operates the Kivu56 methane gas-to-power project on Lake Kivu in western Rwanda. Founded in 2014 after winning a competitive tender from the Government of Rwanda, the company extracts dissolved methane gas from the deep waters of Lake Kivu and converts it into electricity using 19 Caterpillar biogas generator sets with a combined installed capacity of 56 MW. The company serves a single off-taker — Rwanda Energy Utility Corporation Limited (EUCL) — under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) signed in December 2015 and amended in March 2019, with power evacuated into Rwanda's national grid via a 220 kV transmission line. The company achieved its Commercial Operations Date on 17 February 2024, nearly a decade after project award, following a delayed construction period affected by COVID-19 and a major design setback related to the mooring of offshore separators.
The underlying technology combines offshore gas extraction infrastructure with onshore power generation. Four Gas Extraction Facility (GEF) Barges are positioned approximately 5.5 km offshore on Lake Kivu, each connected to two Free-Standing Separators (FRSS) that extract pressurized methane at 20 meters below lake level. The gas is piped onshore to wash-water towers that remove CO2 and impurities before feeding the generator sets. The mooring system — designed for 440-meter water depth with 4-meter placement accuracy using 4,000 tons of steel anchors and a purpose-built Damen CeeBee 1 construction barge — required redesign by SIGMA Marine after the original concept proved inadequate. Submarine cables were supplied by Hengtong Group and the 19 biogas generators by Caterpillar, each rated at 3.790 MWe and tolerant of methane content as low as 65%.
SPLK generates revenue exclusively through electricity sales to EUCL under the long-term PPA, with payments tied to installed capacity and dispatch availability rather than volumetric output, targeting 95% dispatch availability. The company is privately held by Highland Power Limited, an investment vehicle controlled by Lord Irvine Laidlaw, which acquired 100% of the project entity in February 2019 and funded construction from balance-sheet resources. SPLK also holds the KP1 Project, a separate 50 MW grid power plant development based on Concession #1 that it intends to develop as a follow-on. The operating model is asset-heavy infrastructure with no marketing or multi-channel distribution; the company maintains a corporate website (splk.co.rw) for stakeholder communication and tendering processes.
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited
- Legal name
- Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited
- Website
- https://splk.co.rw
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited is a Rwandan Independent Power Producer that extracts methane gas from Lake Kivu and generates 56 MW of electricity under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with state utility EUCL for delivery into Rwanda's national grid.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Power Generation
- NAICS
- Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation (221112)
- SIC
- Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gas-to-Power Project Development (IPP/CPP, Permitting, Financing) (EUALALAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Captive & Embedded Gas-Fired Power Generation (Industrial/Commercial CHP) (EUALALAB), Gas-Fired Power Plant O&M and Life-Extension/Repowering Services (EUACABAJ)
Keywords
Where Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rubavu District
- HQ country
- Rwanda
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Electricity Sales: The company generates revenue by selling electricity produced from methane gas extraction from Lake Kivu to EUCL (Rwanda Energy Utility Corporation Limited) under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement. Revenue is based on electricity generation capacity and dispatch availability, with a target of 95% dispatch availability.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited extracts methane gas from Lake Kivu in Rwanda using offshore Gas Extraction Facility (GEF) Barges and Free-Standing Separators, processes the gas onshore through wash-water towers to remove CO2, and generates 56MW of electricity using nineteen Caterpillar biogas generator sets. All generated electricity is sold to the Rwanda Energy Utility Corporation Limited (EUCL) under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement, with power delivered to Rwanda's national grid via a 220kV transmission line. The company is also developing the KP1 Project, a separate 50MW expansion under Concession #1.
Product overview
Shema Power Lake Kivu Ltd operates a unified methane gas-to-power generation system comprising offshore gas extraction infrastructure and an onshore power plant. The Kivu56 Project forms the core offering, featuring four offshore GEF Barges with Free-Standing Separators (FRSS) that extract methane gas from Lake Kivu at depths of 20 meters, transport it via export pipelines to onshore wash-water towers for processing, and feed nineteen Caterpillar biogas gensets (totaling approximately 76MW gross, 56MW net) connected to the national grid. The company also holds the KP1 Project, a separate 50MW development derived from the original pilot plant that validated the methane gas-to-power concept.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kivu56 Methane Gas to Power Project A 56MW methane extraction and gas-to-power generation facility on Lake Kivu, Rwanda, consisting of offshore gas extraction using GEF Barges and FRSS units, an onshore gas processing plant with wash-water towers, and a 19-engine Caterpillar biogas genset power plant delivering electricity to EUCL under a 25-year PPA.
- KP1 Project (Concession #1 Development) A planned 50MW grid power plant development under Concession #1, based on assets acquired by SPLK's holding company SPM from KP1 Assets. The KP1 Project was the initial pilot plant that proved the Methane Gas to Power concept on Lake Kivu.
- Offshore Gas Extraction System (Gas Plant) Four GEF Barges located 5.5 km offshore on Lake Kivu, each connected to two Free-Standing Separators (FRSS) units, with submarine export pipelines and onshore wash-water towers for CO2 and impurity removal. The system extracts pressurized methane gas at 20 meters below lake level.
- Onshore Biogas Power Plant
Quantifiable outcome
- 56 MW of installed generation capacity
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.
- Fair ConstructionmajorLocal Rwandese contractor appointed to undertake civil and earthworks of the site. Operated under difficult circumstances during heavy rainy season. Civil works on gas plant substantially complete by December 2020. Project engaged local contractors with view to engage them once plant goes into operations for upskilling purposes.
- Galil EngineeringmajorGas Plant Contractor for the Kivu 56 project. Established site in August 2020 and responsible for offshore gas export line welding and gas plant construction. Part of construction update showing progress on wash water towers and separators.
- DamenmajorManufactured the CeeBee 1 construction barge capable of placing individual 100-ton anchors at 440 meter depth with 4-meter accuracy.
- Hengtong GroupmajorSupplier of submarine cables for the project as mentioned in construction progress July 2020.
- Global Power SystemsminorListed as contractor site establishment container supplier for Kivu 56 project.
- Control GearminorListed as contractor site establishment container supplier for Kivu 56 project, based in South Africa.
- SIGMA MarinemajorAppointed to carry out redesign of Free-Standing Separators (FRSS) mooring system after initial design did not work as required. Conceptual design approved in May 2022 and detail design commenced.
- CaterpillarmajorSupplier of 19 biogas generator sets for the power plant, each with technical capacity of 3.790 MWe at site conditions, capable of running on gas with minimum 65% CH4 content.
- Laidlaw FoundationminorLord Irvine Laidlaw chairs the Laidlaw Foundation which invests in education of underprivileged and underrepresented. Not directly involved in SPLK operations but affiliated through Lord Laidlaw's investment.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves2 records
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ContourGlobal: ContourGlobal is a London-listed IPP with a portfolio of thermal and renewable assets across Africa, Europe, and the Americas. It is the parent of KivuWatt, making it a direct corporate-level peer to SPLK / Highland Power in the African gas-to-power IPP space.
- Globeleq: Globeleq is a UK-based IPP focused on sub-Saharan Africa, owning and operating a diversified portfolio of power generation assets. It is comparable to SPLK as an African-focused IPP with multi-country ambition and similar long-term PPA structures with national utilities.
- Aggreko: Aggreko is a global leader in temporary and modular power generation, including gas-fired solutions for utilities and industrial customers. Its IPP/temporary power model and use of gas engine technology (Caterpillar, Wärtsilä) align with SPLK's gas genset architecture.
- Symbion Energy: Symbion Energy is a US-based distributed power generation company with operations in Africa and Asia. SPLK was originally named Symbion Power Lake Kivu and the capital was acquired through Symbion Power Mauritius Ltd, making Symbion a directly related IPP peer in the gas-to-power and African distributed generation space.
Direct peers
- KivuWatt: KivuWatt is the other major methane gas-to-power operator on Lake Kivu, developed by ContourGlobal. It is the closest direct peer to SPLK, operating the same resource, same technology profile, and targeting the same Rwandan off-taker (EUCL) under its own PPA.
Regional players
- Kengen: Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) is the largest power producer in Kenya, operating geothermal, hydro, and thermal assets. It is a regional East African state-linked power producer comparable in asset type, scale, and PPA-driven utility relationships to SPLK's positioning in Rwanda.
- Bujagali Energy: Bujagali Energy operates the 250 MW Bujagali hydropower plant on the Victoria Nile in Uganda under a 30-year PPA with the Ugandan government. It is a regional East African IPP peer with a comparable long-term PPA structure and state-utility off-taker model.
- Rusumo Power Company: Rusumo Power Company operates the 80 MW Rusumo Falls run-of-river hydropower project on the Kagera River, supplying Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania. It is a regional East African cross-border IPP with a similar state-utility off-taker structure and similar plant-scale economics.
Others
- Wärtsilä Energy: Wärtsilä supplies flexible gas engine and balancing solutions to the global power industry, including to island and African grids. SPLK's reliance on Caterpillar biogas gensets (19 units) makes Wärtsilä a closely adjacent technology supplier and competitor in gas-engine IPPs.
- Caterpillar (Electric Power): Caterpillar supplied the 19 biogas generator sets (3.790 MWe each) that form SPLK's power island. As the OEM of the project's core generation equipment, Caterpillar is a critical technology supplier and a comparable gas-engine generation company in spirit, though not a direct operational IPP competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited social profiles
Digital presenceShema Power Lake Kivu Limited financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited
What does Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited do?
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited extracts methane gas from Lake Kivu in Rwanda using offshore Gas Extraction Facility (GEF) Barges and Free-Standing Separators, processes the gas onshore through wash-water towers to remove CO2, and generates 56MW of electricity using nineteen Caterpillar biogas generator sets. All generated electricity is sold to the Rwanda Energy Utility Corporation Limited (EUCL) under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement, with power delivered to Rwanda's national grid via a 220kV transmission line. The company is also developing the KP1 Project, a separate 50MW expansion under Concession #1.
Is Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited a public or private company?
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited founded?
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited based?
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited is headquartered in Rubavu District, Rwanda, in the Africa region.
How does Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited make money?
One revenue line is on record: electricity Sales.
Who are Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ContourGlobal, Globeleq, Aggreko and Symbion Energy. KivuWatt is listed as a direct peer. Regional players are Kengen, Bujagali Energy and Rusumo Power Company. Others are Wärtsilä Energy and Caterpillar (Electric Power).
Does Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited.
What industry is Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited in?
Shema Power Lake Kivu Limited's product category is Independent Power Generation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUALALAC, Gas-to-Power Project Development (IPP/CPP, Permitting, Financing), with a secondary code of EUALALAB, Captive & Embedded Gas-Fired Power Generation (Industrial/Commercial CHP). Its NAICS code is 221112 and its SIC code is 4991.