Sidronious Okaasai Opolot, the Minister of State for Energy says GIS offers multi-layered solutions and plays a crucial role in identifying underserved rural areas that should be prioritized for energy expansion, aligning with the country’s goal of universal access by 2040 to alleviate poverty.
Eng. Ziria Tibalwa Waako, the Chief Executive Officer of the Electricity Regulatory Authority – ERA notes that Uganda is experiencing economic growth and rapid urbanization, which drive a steady increase in energy demand.
Enforcement teams from the two government agencies jointly conducted impromptu operations this week clamping down on illegal fuel dealers who included single-pump fuel retailers, those selling adulterated fuel, and stations with compromised fuel pumps that cheat clients.
Tororo South County Member of Parliament Fredrick Angura said that the ministry did not receive sufficient funding under the Appropriation Bill for the Financial Year 2023/2024 due to the under-absorption of resources meant for REA.
Bernadette Nassuna, the Vice Chairperson of Bukulula sub-county, said they are considering generating a formal petition to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development requesting that their area be included in the second round of the free electricity connections program.
The 18-month aerial survey is part of a five-year project funded by the Government, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the Nordic Development Fund.
UNOC has paid over 578 million shillings or $155700 as required by the laws and the signed Production Sharing Agreement and award of the Petroleum Exploration License.
Lawrence Kimbowa, UETCL’s Acting Principal Public Relations Officer disclosed that a total of 52 high voltage electricity pylons were destroyed by the vandals and now require over 37 billion Shillings to replace. Building a single pylon or tower costs approximately 365 million Shillings.
Medard Sseggona Lubega, the Busiiro County East Member of Parliament while debating the Government’s request to borrow up to US$331.5 million approximately 1.242 trillion Shillings from the World Bank to support the electricity access scale-up project opposed the merger of REA with the Energy Ministry.
On Wednesday, the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited – UETCL, without giving reasons announced on its social media pages that they are experiencing a national blackout. “We shall keep you updated as we work on restoration of power. All inconveniences caused are regretted,” read the UETCL message to its stakeholders.
Lugolobi said that the Government approved a 10-year Electricity Connections Policy – ECP to increase the number of connections made annually from the current average of 70,000 in 2018 to 300,000 connections on the main grid by 500MW by 2027.
Justice Ssekaana was addressing the eight-members of the specialized Tribunal, an autonomous body with powers of the high court that was instituted by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development during an induction on Tuesday at Silver Springs Hotel in Kampala.
URN has learned that several agencies and individuals are considering the importation of Electric Vehicles but they cannot because there is no standard on what type of charging stations be imported.
Vincent Kedi, the Commissioner in Charge Licensing and Administration Ministry Energy and Mineral Development says about 90 per cent of the aerial survey has been completed in Karamoja, parts of Teso and Bugisu and now they are carrying out the neighbouring airborne survey in Acholi' Lawmo district.
While the discovery of oil and gas in the Albertine has raised fear of a likely resource curse , some residents in Hoima and Buliisa districts say they are witnessing some transformation even before oil comes out of the ground.
The index by Natural Resources Governance Institute (NRGI) rated Uganda's Mining Sector as slightly better governed than oil though still in "weak" category.
It finds that like the hydrocarbons sector , licensing and local impacts are a problem.
The then Energy Minister, Engineer Irene Muloni announced the second licensing round in May 2019 hoping that process would be completed in September the same year.
Many of the Project Affected Persons-PAPs in the districts of Lwengo, Kyotera, Rakai and Gomba have repeatedly demanded a second evaluation exercise before the actual construction works begin. They argue that their properties have gained value since 2018 when the first assessments were conducted.
