By Andrew Irumba
Arua: Preparations for Uganda to start exporting electricity to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo are being finalized.
The Energy and Mineral Development State Minister, Simon Du’janga has revealed that Uganda will extend electricity from Owen Falls and Karuma Dams through a single line in West Nile to Juba and DRC through Mpondwe border. Du’janga revealed this while in Arua on Wednesday, during the commissioning the Electro-Max plant to boost power supply in West Nile region.
The minister said that “Uganda is already exporting power to Kaya and KajoKeji in South Sudan as provided for in the East Africa Community protocol.” Uganda currently exports power to Rwanda through Kisoro and Tanzania through Mutukula. Currently, West Nile has 3.5 Megawatts of power generated by Nyagak and about 9 Kilowatts from Electro-Max. The power is expected to increase to over 30 megawatts when power from Karuma dam and the national grid at Kole in Lango are connected.
It is the additional power that will be exported to Juba. Du’janga noted that power export earns the country additional revenue and refuted claims that Uganda’s neighbors are benefiting at the expense of local Ugandans since majority can’t access electricity in several parts of the country.
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