The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development is undertaking a new project-the Electricity Access Scaleup Project (EASP) which is to be financed by the World Bank and government of Uganda to a tune of about US $ 618 million and an additional US $ 20 million from the Private Sector, the Permanent Secretary Eng. Irene Batebe has announced .
Eng. Batebe stated that the EASP will be implemented to realise the – three pillars of the United Nations’ Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7- which provide for universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services by 2030; doubling the share of energy efficiency and a substantial increase in the share of renewable energy. This she argued will lay a foundation for securing an inclusive, prosperous and sustainable future for Uganda.
“It is therefore, pertinent that perspectives on issues of energy accessibility, reliability, affordability and livelihood must be adequately addressed- in order to set up success for the coming decades and address the energy access gap once and for all,” Batebe emphasised .
Eng. Batebe was addressing a well attended – 2022 Power Forum which was held at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala. The power forum which was sponsored by GIZ among others -is an avenue for the sector players to interact other stakeholders and the general public in order to disseminate progress made in delivering – key undertakings in the power sector over the past year and the plans for the coming year.
The PS explained that by undertaking the EASP, Uganda’s leadership- led by President Yoweri Museveni ,” is desirous of transforming the economy and bettering lives of the people in a sustainable manner through industrialization and value addition to create jobs and wealth. “In this, Batebe added the energy sector is a prime mover in the equation and has been given priority in focus and budget.
Batebe noted that these deliberate efforts have resulted in increased generation capacity, transmission and distribution network expansion, increased access, improved efficiency.
What will be offered under EASP
EASP will support GoU’s efforts to increase access to electricity (on grid and off grid) for households, refugee and host communities, industrial parks, commercial enterprises, and public institutions.
“This is a multi-sectoral project with two main implementing entities – The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company. Effectiveness is expected in the First Quarter of fiscal year 2023,” Batebe further revealed .
The Project interventions will be delivered through five (5) components: which will include ,grid expansion and connectivity: consumer connections (no-pole and one-pole) of up to 1,073,500 and investments in new transformers to accommodate new connections and electricity grid extensions.
Through the project the ministry will be in position to facilitate -financial intermediation for energy access scale-up to enable -concessional loans through financial institutions and grants to private energy companies to provide solar systems and clean cooking technologies to communities far away from the grid. The financial intermediation component is to be administered by the Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company Limited (UECCC).
Further still, Eng. Batebe revealed that there will be – energy access in refugee host communities,-project implementation support and affordable modern energy solution. There will also be a component about contingent emergency response – to emergencies similar to COVID-19.
