Uganda Targets 1,000 Megawatts of New Generation by June 2020

KAMPALA (Capital Markets in Africa) – Uganda plans to boost power generation capacity by at least 1,000 megawatts by June 2020 to promote industrial growth by adding renewable sources such as wind, solar and biomass to hydropower.

Increased generation will enable the East African nation to raise access on the national grid to 30 percent, according to a sector budget document on the Finance Ministry’s website. The World Bank estimates the country’s access at 26.7 percent.

Uganda, with capacity of about 950 megawatts, is already developing the 183-megawatt Isimba and 600-megawatt Karuma hydropower plants that are expected to start generation in March and December respectively. A number of mini-hydropower plants are also under development.

The country, which is one of the poorest in the world, will require 41,378 megawatts by 2040 to achieve its “desired socio-economic transformation,” according to the Energy Ministry.

Separately, Uganda projects its mineral export value will more than double to 350 billion shillings ($94 million) in the 12 months through June 2020, from 158.8 billion shillings in 2017-18, and may rise to 450 billion shillings in 2021-22, according to the document. The country’s mineral exports include gold, cobalt and vermiculite.

Source: Bloomberg Business News