Energy sector players discuss partnerships, innovation

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Discussions at this year’s power forum, held Wednesday at Mestil Hotel in Kampala, focused on leveraging partnerships and innovations.

Held under the theme ‘resilience, innovation and collaboration: the evolving energy sector’, the power forum is one of the activities to mark this year’s energy and minerals week. Other activities include e-mobility conference and renewable energy conference.

Leveraging partnerships and innovations were at the top of discussions at the Power Forum held at the Mestil Hotel in Kampala on Wednesday. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

The forum seeks to take stock of the achievements that Uganda’s electricity supply industry has registered over the last two decades, the opportunities and find solutions to the challenges the sector currently faces.

According to Grace Tusiime, the undersecretary at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development who represented the permanent secretary, Uganda’s energy sector has undergone significant transformation over the last two decades.

She explained that insufficient electricity generation experienced in the mid-2000s led to significant load shedding, prompting the Government to prioritise investments in electricity generation.

According to Grace Tusiime, the undersecretary at energy ministry, Uganda’s energy sector has undergone significant transformation over the last two decades. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

Resultantly, Uganda’s installed electricity generation capacity has increased from 380 megawatts in 2005 to over 2000 MW in 2024, including the Karuma hydropower plant that was commissioned in September.

Similarly, the country’s transmission network has therefore increased from 1,132 kilometres in 2005 to 4,962 kilometres as at the end of July this year.

On the other hand, the distribution network has expanded from a total length of 40,525 kilometres in 2016 to 76,922 kilometres by end of last year.

Leveraging on partnerships and innovations were top of discussions at the Power Forum held at Mestil Hotel in Kampala on Wednesday. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

Tusiime added that the electrification rate has improved from 5% in 2001 to 60% today with the national grid contributing 22% and while the 38% is from off-grid solutions including home solar solutions.

However, growth in the generation segment has not been met with corresponding growth in the transmission and distribution segments as the grid, both high and low voltage, has remained out of reach for many against the government target of achieving universal access by 2030.

Hon.Justine Kalule Lumumba, Minister General Duties, Office of the Prime Minister representing Energy Minister at the Power Forum. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

Tusiime adds that achieving this will necessitate addition of about 10 million new connections through both grid and off-grid solutions.

This, she adds, calls for collaboration between the government, private sector, development partners, and civil society to share resources, expertise, and risks.

Leveraging on partnerships and innovations were top of discussions at the Power Forum held at Mestil Hotel in Kampala on Wednesday. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

“At the national level, we are focusing on enhancing public-private partnerships to attract the investment needed for large-scale energy projects. The Electricity Access Scale-Up Project, funded by the World Bank, has planned to leverage up to $20m (about sh73b) from the private sector using innovative financing mechanisms,” Tusiime said.