The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Ruth Nankabirwa has revealed that Uganda has set an ambitious plan to generate 52000 MW of Electricity by 2040 so that Ugandans can access clean energy.
Nankabirwa explained that this was part of government wider plan to modernize agriculture and add value to the minerals produced in the country where all mining and melting sites are electrified to increase production. This was during the renweable energy conference held in Kampala.
The country, she said will get 50 percent of the required electricity from renewables, and the 40 percent with come from nuclear.
Uganda’s nuclear potential is 24000 MW and by the end of 2031 the country will generate 1000 MW from Nuclear.
The Minister also stated that 80 percent of Ugandans by 2040 will be connected to the national grid using a World Bank loan of 638 million USD which will help the country connect one million Ugandans for free .
Ivan Tumuhimbise the Country Director of the World Wide Fund for Nature urged the government to review the tax regime on renewable energy products beyond solar. Batteries and other connection facilities should attract little tax for easy access to renewable energy to ensure domestic commercial use.
Tumuhimbise regretted note that about 90 percent of Uganda’s households depend on biomass for cooking which makes it the key driver of environmental degradation.
Eng. Irene Batebe the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development said that as a sector they are focused on the generation ,,transmission and distribution of electricity.
She said that clean energy transition slowed down by a lack of adequate funding . She also noted that there is technical capacity gaps in the government and the private sector to manage the repair of renewable energy products like solar panels among others.
