Description
Project Name: Luviro
Project Owner: Virunga Alliance
Standard: Verra VCS
Project ID: 2318
Since its commissioning in early 2021, the Luviro run-of-river hydroelectric station has emerged as a transformative force in the region. With a capacity of 14.6 MW, this facility powers the Lubero Province and the bustling commercial hub of Butembo, delivering clean, reliable energy to an equivalent of up to 30,000 direct beneficiaries. From households to small businesses, hospitals to public lighting, Luviro is illuminating lives and sparking economic vitality in a region long plagued by energy poverty, and armed conflict.
This cutting-edge project is a cornerstone of the ambitious Virunga Alliance, a visionary initiative designed to bring sustainable electricity to 4 million people in and around the Virunga National Park. Launched in 2013, the Alliance unites the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN), the Virunga Foundation, and over a hundred local partners from government, civil society, and the private sector. Together, they’re harnessing the park’s vast hydrological wealth (estimated at 105 MW of untapped potential) to drive a green economy that promises peace, prosperity, and progress for North Kivu.
Luviro exemplifies the brilliance of small-scale run-of-river hydropower: an environmentally savvy solution that requires no sprawling reservoirs, minimizing ecological disruption while maximizing efficiency. It not only stabilizes the local grid but also offers a scalable model for off-grid rural communities. By reducing reliance on deforestation-driven charcoal (a long threat to Virunga’s biodiversity) Luviro is a lifeline for both people and nature.
Rooted in the Congolese commitment to safeguard Virunga National Park and the 5 million souls within a day’s walk of its borders, the Virunga Alliance is more than an energy project. It fuses conservation with economic empowerment, creating over 300 jobs during construction and sustaining 20 permanent roles for operations. Add to that free electricity for 40 public institutions (schools, clinics, and streetlights) and Luviro is redefining what’s possible in a region still affectited by conflict.
The Virunga Alliance isn’t stopping here. With Luviro as a shining success, the goal is bold: scale up to 100 MW of clean energy by 2040 through a network of hydroelectric plants, including the under-construction 13 MW Rwanguba station. The Alliance is building a future where energy poverty is history, and Virunga stands as a global beacon of sustainable development. Luviro isn’t just a station.
