By david ssempijja

Kanungu plant to out 6MW
Ronald Mbabazi runs a metal fabrication workshop in Kanungu town. Apart from the exorbitant cost of buying raw materials from Kampala, power instability remains a challenge to his business.

However, Mbabaziâ€™s woes will be no more come January next year when the $14m (sh30.8b) mini-hydro-power project in Kanyantorogo sub-county in Kanungu district is completed.

The project that is about 70% complete, will produce 6.6MW. Uganda produces about 540MW from the Nalubaale and Kiira dams and a host of thermal and renewable power plants countrywide, ranging from mini-hydros to sugar cane co-generation facilities.

The Kanungu project is undertaken by Eco Power Uganda Limited, a subsidiary of Eco Power PVT-Sri-Lanka.

â€œThis project will increase the capacity of power in Kanungu and the surrounding districts, support the development of industries and stimulate other areas of investments,â€ Samarakoon Banda, the projectâ€™s senior manager, said while taking journalists on guided tour of the project last week.

Banda said the firm has also applied a licence to build a 6MW plant on River Rwizi in Mbarara. The projects are co-funded by the National Development Bank of Sri-Lanka, Hatton National Bank and Commercial Bank of Sri-Lanka.

â€œAll our plants have been registered by the executive board of the Kyoto Protocol because they are qualified to supply carbon emissions reduction credits,â€ Banda adds.

Eco Power has developed 13 mini-hydro sites in Sri Lanka and has generation capacity of 40MW. The company also operates in Rwanda. The firm employees over 500 residents as casual labourers.

Kenneth Tumuhamye, the chairman of Kyanyantorogo sub-county, thanked the firm for sponsoring one medical officer from Kihiihi Health Centre to study surgery at Kampala International University.