By Leilah Bbaale
Uganda’s installed electricity capacity is projected to hit at least 2000 MW following the completion of the Karuma Hydropower Project.
The 600 Mega Watts Karuma Hydropower Project and the Karuma Interconnection Project in Kiryandongo district are set for commissioning tomorrow September 26, 2024.
“Every time that we add on to power, we instill hope into Ugandans that they will finally see their villages being lit,” the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa said.
President Museveni is expected to commission the dam which was earlier expected to be completed by 2018 before it underwent unprecedented delays and extensions due to vandalism and other factors.
According to government, a target of achieving universal access to electricity by 2030 was set with plans to connect an additional 1.5 million households to the grid and increase the electrification rate from 28% to 50%.
According to the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA), as of December 2022, Uganda had an installed electricity capacity of 1,402 megawatts, with a demand of 843 MW leaving a surplus of 559 MW.
In October 2023, the Government launched the Energy Policy 2023 to scale up access to electricity for households, refugee and host communities, industrial parks, commercial enterprises, and public institutions, to spur socio-economic transformation, in line with Uganda’s Vision 2040.
