West Nile to get 5 megawatts dam

Jul 30, 2012

Works on the 5 Megawatt second mini hydro power dam on River Nyagaki on in Zombo district river has kicked off, energy state minister has said.

By Benedict Okethwengu

With the much-awaited 3.5 megawatts Nyagak mini-hydro dam in Zombo district yet to be switched on, tomorrow (Tuesday) to salvage the people of West Nile from insufficient thermal power  supplied by West Nile Rural Electrification Company (WENRECO), works on the 5 Megawatt second mini hydropower dam on the same river has kicked off.

Simon D’Ujanga, the state minister for Energy and mineral development  told New Vision on Sunday that ,the 5-megawatt Nyagak II dam is  being built downstream the Nyagak River, at Rateng village, in Paidha sub-county about 10  kilometers from the first Nyagak dam.

D’Ujanga explained that Nyagak II mini hydro power dam is to boost Nyagak I whose 3.5-megawatt capacity is not enough to power the whole of West Nile region.

 “Construction of Nyagak II mini-hydro power project has started with the construction of an access road to the site and I have asked Spencon services to take some of their equipment to the new site,” he said.

“We have the resources available for Nyagak II mini-hydro power dam which will boost Nyagak I and we are in the process of connecting West Nile to the national grid,” D’Ujanga said.  

He however did not disclose how much Nyagak II project would cost the government for whose construction will be complete in three years.

He revealed that part of the power supplied by Nyagak would be extended to Mahagi and Aruu in Democratic Republic of Congo.

“We have received request from Mahagi and Aruu demanding for our power but we are yet to consider it,” he said.

He also said that government is waiting for approval from KfW, the German Development Bank for the massive kick off of the distribution of power lines in the region.

He noted that it would take about a year for the all the districts in West Nile to fully connected.


 

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