Tororo thermal plant to be commissioned in August
Jun 23, 2009
CONSTRUCTION of the 20MW heavy-fuel thermal plant in Tororo is on schedule, the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has said. Frank Sebbowa, the chief executive officer of ERA, said: “I am happy with the progress and I expect work to be completed on
By Ibrahim Kasita
in Tororo
CONSTRUCTION of the 20MW heavy-fuel thermal plant in Tororo is on schedule, the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has said. Frank Sebbowa, the chief executive officer of ERA, said: “I am happy with the progress and I expect work to be completed on time.â€
“More power will be available,†he added. “Normally, projects of this nature take long to materialise but the way this work has been executed shows the seriousness of the investor.â€
The more than $32m (about sh69.1b) power plant is sponsored by Electro-Maxx, the first local investor in power generation. DECCO, a Korean electrical company, is carrying out the engineering, construction and procurement contract (ECP) for the power plant.
Sebbowa, who was accompanied by officials from Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL), was conducting a trip to monitor and evaluate power generation activities in Jinja and Tororo on Monday.
Charles Muhumuza, the Electro-Maxx executive director, said the firm would build, operate and own the plant. He said the project would be commissioned by August.
“The project has already transformed the local community by providing jobs to the youth and women. We are employing about 300 casual labourers from Tororo,†he said.
“Providing employment has increased their income. Jobs give self-dignity and every member is a useful member in society.†Muhumuza said they had constructed about four boreholes to provide clean water for the local community and started programmes to fight malaria.
“Industrialisation cannot happen without sufficient power. The project will create a multiplier effect in the economy,†he stated. Muhumuza said at a later stage of the project, Electro-Maxx would introduce jatropha, a plant that will produce bio-diesel for the station.
“Jatropha is easy to grow. Many families in Tororo will grow this plant for us to buy for blending our fuel, which in turn will raise income for the local community and save millions of dollars in foreign exchange.â€
Energy experts say Electro-Maxx’s project was cheaper than other diesel thermal generators. The plant will relieve consumers of paying high tariffs because “heavy-fuel oil is cheaper than light diesel oil and the project will not require additional subsidies.â€
in Tororo
CONSTRUCTION of the 20MW heavy-fuel thermal plant in Tororo is on schedule, the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has said. Frank Sebbowa, the chief executive officer of ERA, said: “I am happy with the progress and I expect work to be completed on time.â€
“More power will be available,†he added. “Normally, projects of this nature take long to materialise but the way this work has been executed shows the seriousness of the investor.â€
The more than $32m (about sh69.1b) power plant is sponsored by Electro-Maxx, the first local investor in power generation. DECCO, a Korean electrical company, is carrying out the engineering, construction and procurement contract (ECP) for the power plant.
Sebbowa, who was accompanied by officials from Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL), was conducting a trip to monitor and evaluate power generation activities in Jinja and Tororo on Monday.
Charles Muhumuza, the Electro-Maxx executive director, said the firm would build, operate and own the plant. He said the project would be commissioned by August.
“The project has already transformed the local community by providing jobs to the youth and women. We are employing about 300 casual labourers from Tororo,†he said.
“Providing employment has increased their income. Jobs give self-dignity and every member is a useful member in society.†Muhumuza said they had constructed about four boreholes to provide clean water for the local community and started programmes to fight malaria.
“Industrialisation cannot happen without sufficient power. The project will create a multiplier effect in the economy,†he stated. Muhumuza said at a later stage of the project, Electro-Maxx would introduce jatropha, a plant that will produce bio-diesel for the station.
“Jatropha is easy to grow. Many families in Tororo will grow this plant for us to buy for blending our fuel, which in turn will raise income for the local community and save millions of dollars in foreign exchange.â€
Energy experts say Electro-Maxx’s project was cheaper than other diesel thermal generators. The plant will relieve consumers of paying high tariffs because “heavy-fuel oil is cheaper than light diesel oil and the project will not require additional subsidies.â€