Loadshedding to ease, says Umeme
Nov 25, 2006
LOADshedding has eased due to an additional 35 mega watts (MW) generated from the Jinja thermal plant, Umeme said on Thursday.<br>“We got extra 35MW of electricity for distribution. This means our clients have more electricity for consumption because we are also getting more power,†said Umemeâ
By Ibrahim Kasita
LOADshedding has eased due to an additional 35 mega watts (MW) generated from the Jinja thermal plant, Umeme said on Thursday.
“We got extra 35MW of electricity for distribution. This means our clients have more electricity for consumption because we are also getting more power,†said Umeme’s corporate communication manager, Robert Kisubi.
“In fact, the situation is getting better. Initially, we used to have a 24-hour power rationing but this has reduced. We are happy with the Government’s interventions and hope more power will be available for consumers and loadshedding will reduce progressively,†Kisubi said.
Eriasi Kiyemba, the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company chief, said the Kiira thermal plant was generating 35MW but another 15MW would be on the national grid by the end of November.
“We are so far buying 35MW from Aggreko’s thermal plant at Kiira. They are still installing additional 15MW and hopefully by the end of November, all the 50MW will be available in the national grid,†he said.
Kiyemba said since the technical issues that existed had been resolved, more power would be available for consumption.
“It is a gradual process and the stakeholders are working round the clock to avail more electricity,†he said.
Mike Norlan, the Aggreko operation manager, however, said they had finished installing all the 50MW.
“We finished installing all the 50MW at Kiira plant in the last day of October and the power is now available for the transmission network,†he said.
Energy expert said power loadshedding would progressively come down from the 24-hour schedule to at least three hours daily.
To mitigate the 24-hour loadshedding, the Government is procuring the second batch of 50MW thermal generators at Kiira power station.
Aggreko International which is already operating the first batch of 50MW thermal plant at Lugogo, won the contract.
By the end of November, Aggreko would be generating 100MW from its Lugogo and Kira plants.
Another 50MW thermal plant would be installed at Mutundwe by March 2007 after the World Bank’s approval while another 50MW would be built up at Namanve after the re-evaluation process is completed.
LOADshedding has eased due to an additional 35 mega watts (MW) generated from the Jinja thermal plant, Umeme said on Thursday.
“We got extra 35MW of electricity for distribution. This means our clients have more electricity for consumption because we are also getting more power,†said Umeme’s corporate communication manager, Robert Kisubi.
“In fact, the situation is getting better. Initially, we used to have a 24-hour power rationing but this has reduced. We are happy with the Government’s interventions and hope more power will be available for consumers and loadshedding will reduce progressively,†Kisubi said.
Eriasi Kiyemba, the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company chief, said the Kiira thermal plant was generating 35MW but another 15MW would be on the national grid by the end of November.
“We are so far buying 35MW from Aggreko’s thermal plant at Kiira. They are still installing additional 15MW and hopefully by the end of November, all the 50MW will be available in the national grid,†he said.
Kiyemba said since the technical issues that existed had been resolved, more power would be available for consumption.
“It is a gradual process and the stakeholders are working round the clock to avail more electricity,†he said.
Mike Norlan, the Aggreko operation manager, however, said they had finished installing all the 50MW.
“We finished installing all the 50MW at Kiira plant in the last day of October and the power is now available for the transmission network,†he said.
Energy expert said power loadshedding would progressively come down from the 24-hour schedule to at least three hours daily.
To mitigate the 24-hour loadshedding, the Government is procuring the second batch of 50MW thermal generators at Kiira power station.
Aggreko International which is already operating the first batch of 50MW thermal plant at Lugogo, won the contract.
By the end of November, Aggreko would be generating 100MW from its Lugogo and Kira plants.
Another 50MW thermal plant would be installed at Mutundwe by March 2007 after the World Bank’s approval while another 50MW would be built up at Namanve after the re-evaluation process is completed.