Govt proposes 14 dam sites
Mar 21, 2007
THE Government has proposed 14 sites for hydropower generation, the commissioner for environment, Eliphaz Baziira, has revealed.
By Harriette Onyalla
THE Government has proposed 14 sites for hydropower generation, the commissioner for environment, Eliphaz Baziira, has revealed.
Addressing journalists in Kampala on Monday, he named some of the sites as Bujagali (250MW), Karuma (300–350MW), Ayago North (310 – 400MW), Ayago South (230-250MW) and Murchison falls (450-550MW).
This means that 2,757MW will be generated by 2025 when the peak demand for electricity is projected to be at 1,910MW.
Baziira urged the Government to go ahead with its plan to construct more dams to solve the power shortage.
He noted: “The country is facing a serious energy crisis. We cannot develop without adequate electricity. The 135MW we are producing are peanuts.â€
He added: “The Government is developing our solar energy resources, small dams, bio-gas and it has also partnered with other companies but these cannot meet our energy requirements.â€
Baziira, who is also the chairman of the Uganda Dams Dialogue (UDD), said civil society organisations, communities and the academia should be involved in the construction of the dams to avoid conflicts like those which caused delays in the Bujagali project.
UDD is a forum of government agencies, civil society and community-based organisations which ensures that all stakeholders are involved in the process developing dams.
THE Government has proposed 14 sites for hydropower generation, the commissioner for environment, Eliphaz Baziira, has revealed.
Addressing journalists in Kampala on Monday, he named some of the sites as Bujagali (250MW), Karuma (300–350MW), Ayago North (310 – 400MW), Ayago South (230-250MW) and Murchison falls (450-550MW).
This means that 2,757MW will be generated by 2025 when the peak demand for electricity is projected to be at 1,910MW.
Baziira urged the Government to go ahead with its plan to construct more dams to solve the power shortage.
He noted: “The country is facing a serious energy crisis. We cannot develop without adequate electricity. The 135MW we are producing are peanuts.â€
He added: “The Government is developing our solar energy resources, small dams, bio-gas and it has also partnered with other companies but these cannot meet our energy requirements.â€
Baziira, who is also the chairman of the Uganda Dams Dialogue (UDD), said civil society organisations, communities and the academia should be involved in the construction of the dams to avoid conflicts like those which caused delays in the Bujagali project.
UDD is a forum of government agencies, civil society and community-based organisations which ensures that all stakeholders are involved in the process developing dams.