Northern Uganda to endure unstable electricity supply until April

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Power consumers in Northern Uganda will continue experiencing unreliable electricity supply until April when alternative power line from Achwa 2 hydroelectricity plant is switched on.

Power consumers in the region currently rely on an erratic power line from Jinja which snakes to Tororo, Soroti and connects to Lira substation, a distance of over 120 km from where Gulu and Kitgum districts get 33kwh each.

According to Umeme Ltd and Uganda Electricity Distribution Company LTD, Achwa II hydroelectric station in Pader district will create a second power supply source that will put an end to persistent load shedding.

Tom Awuzu, the Gulu district Umeme manager asserts that the distance from Lira to Gulu and Kitgum transmission substations has been contributing immensely to the erratic power supply.

Awuzu notes that the poles have been affected by rampant burning of the vegetation cover that razes down some installations hence consequently leaving power distributors on tenterhooks.

He also highlights vandalism, which he says has been a common challenge to power stability.

Jonan Kiiza, the Corporate Affairs and Public Relations Officer Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited- UEDCL, says the company is readying to evacuate up to 42 megawatts of electricity from Achwa II hydroelectric plant to the Gulu and Kitgum substations.

According to Kiiza, once Achwa 2 hydro-electric power station starts working, it will adequately meet both the domestic and commercial demands of the people to accelerate economic development.

UEDCL is a government parastatal, whose primary purpose is to distribute electric power to domestic and commercial end-users in Uganda at and below 33 kilovolts. It has started massive replacement of hundreds of wooden poles with concrete ones to try and stabilize power supply until Achwa dam gets finalized.

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