THE Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has issued a 25-year license to another Norwegian firm, Tronder Power Ltd, to develop two mini-hydropower sites in western Uganda.
“SN Power abandoned its interest in the two project sites of 13 megawatts at Bugoye and five megawatts at Waki in Hoima due to internal issues,” explained the regulator.
“ERA issued a 25-year license to a new company, Tronder Power Ltd from Norway, so as to progress the development of the Bugoye mini-hydropower project.”
ERA in a media advert placed on Wednesday, said the firm also proposes to develop five megawatts mini-hydropower plant on River Muzizi in Kabarole district.
The sites are Muzizi in Kabarole, with a 20- megawatt capacity, Bugoye in Kasese with 11-megawatt capacity, Nengo Bridge in Rukungiri with a capacity of 7.5 megawatt and Waki in Masindi, a five-megawatt plant.
Power generated from these sites is expected to supply the western districts of Bundibugyo and Kanungu, which have no power, and Kisoro, which gets its power from Rwanda.
Masindi, Kabarole and Rukungiri, which are partly connected to the national grid but do not have adequate power supply, would also benefit.
ERA has also issued a 30-year generation license to Hydromaxx to develop a nine-megawatt mini- hydropower project at Buseruka Gorge in Hoima.
China Shan Sheng, a Chinese firm, will develop a 10-megawatt small hydropower project at Kikagati in Mbarara district.
The first local independent power producer, Electro-Maxx, will build and install a 10-megawatt heavy fuel thermal plant in Tororo after receiving a three-year generation license. The development is expected to reduce the rampant power cuts.
Official estimates put Uganda’s electricity supply at about 249 megawatts out of the required 280 megawatts.
