MPs want Aga Khan off West Nile
Apr 30, 2009
MPS have asked the Government to terminate the contract for West Nile Rural Electrification Company to supply power to Arua and Nebbi districts.
By Cyprian Musoke and Catherine Bekunda
MPS have asked the Government to terminate the contract for West Nile Rural Electrification Company to supply power to Arua and Nebbi districts.
John Arumadri (FDC) said the company, belonging to the Aga Khan group, had failed to meet their power demands.
Presenting a statement on power supply to the region, energy minister Eng. Hillary Onek said the Government engaged the private power generation company in line with the 1999 Electricity Act.
This, he explained, was done to bring down the power tariffs.
As a result, he said, the Government offered the company a subsidy of $8m towards the construction of Nyagak small hydro power plant.
He said WENRECO was supposed to invest $6m in the project but failed to raise the money.
“When WENRECO took over the concession and started effective commercial operations of heavy fuel oil power in 2005, there was a steady supply until late last year, when services started going down. In the course of last month, WENRECO stopped supplying power altogether,†Onek said.
MPS have asked the Government to terminate the contract for West Nile Rural Electrification Company to supply power to Arua and Nebbi districts.
John Arumadri (FDC) said the company, belonging to the Aga Khan group, had failed to meet their power demands.
Presenting a statement on power supply to the region, energy minister Eng. Hillary Onek said the Government engaged the private power generation company in line with the 1999 Electricity Act.
This, he explained, was done to bring down the power tariffs.
As a result, he said, the Government offered the company a subsidy of $8m towards the construction of Nyagak small hydro power plant.
He said WENRECO was supposed to invest $6m in the project but failed to raise the money.
“When WENRECO took over the concession and started effective commercial operations of heavy fuel oil power in 2005, there was a steady supply until late last year, when services started going down. In the course of last month, WENRECO stopped supplying power altogether,†Onek said.