Bujagali now generating 250MW of power

By Donald Kiirya in Jinja

Bujagali hydro-power plant can now fully generate 250 megawatts of power, the resident construction manager of Bujagali Energy Limited (BEL) has said.

William Bill Groth made the revelation to a group of journalists from different media houses during a tour of the Bujagali hydro-power project on Thursday.

“All the five units were commissioned and full capacity of power generation at the Bujagali dam is 250 megawatts and this is generated when the demand is high at night. But when demand is low, we turn off other turbines as you have witnessed,” Groth said.

The project is in its substantial completion which includes leveling high grounds, finishing administrative offices, finishing roads, guard rails and security lights, among others.

“After the substantial completion, we will then head for the final acceptance of the project by the Uganda government,” the manager intimated.

The power project is expected to be fully completed late this year in October or November and President Yoweri Museveni is expected to commission it after arrangements are made by government.

Groth said three main transmission lines were constructed to extend power. The lines are from Bujagali Kawanda, Bujagali to Mutundwe and Bujagali to Nabumali in Tororo.

He said BEL will run and manage the plant for 30 years and thereafter hand it over to the government of Uganda to manage the project.

Despite the stage reached in the project, Groth did not overlook the challenges faced during construction.

Vandalism of electric cables and metal bars and hijacking of a ship with building material by Somali pirates were a huge obstacle for the project.

At another point, the collusion of ships at a channel caused them to order for fresh manufacture of new equipment used in construction of the dam.

The Bujagali hydro-power projects started in May, 2007 and the project is worth $860 million.