Government through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has acquired funding from three sources to implement and deepen electricity penetration in rural areas of the country.
The three sources of funding include Agence Francaise de De’velopement [AFD] (The French Development Agency), OPEC Fund for Development (BADEA- OFID) and the Islamic Development Bank(IDB) funding.
According to a document from REA which ChimpReports has seen, AFD funds will cover over 274.5km of 33KV Medium Voltage and 28.79km of low voltage (LV) distribution networks.
They will also cover installation of 142 transformers in the Central, Western and Mid-Western Districts of Hoima, Kiryandongo, Masindi, Kibaale, Kasese, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Kabarole, Rubirizi, Buhweju, Sheema, Mitooma, Bushenyi, Mbarara, Ntungamo, Kabale, Kisoro, Isingiro, Kiruhura, Sembabule, Rakai, Lyantonde, Lwengo, Bukomansimbi and Masaka.
The OPEC Fund for Development will cover over 732km of Medium Voltage and 632km of Low voltage distribution networks.
It will also cover installation of over 356 transformers in Central and Eastern Uganda districts of Buikwe, Kayunga, Mukono, Jinja, Luuka, Kamuli and Buyende.
The IDB funds will cover over 700km of 33kv Medium Voltage and 104 transformers in the Karamoja region.
This covers the districts of Abim, Kaabong, Kotido, Moroto and Nakapiripit.
While speaking to ChimpReports recently, REA Executive Director, Godfrey Turyahikayo said that a 10-year Rural Electrification Strategy and Plan for 2013-2022 (RESP 2013-2022) had projected that about 1.3 million households will be connected to the main grid by 2022.
This translates into about 130,000 connections per year and, therefore, 650,000 over a 5-year period.
The plan was made on assumption that connections would be done in the usual manner.
However, REA had to align its targets with those of Vision 2040.
“In this respect, REA has projected a connection target of at least 500,000 connections per year, translating into 2.5 million connections over the next 5 years,” Turyahikayo told ChimpReports.
With the new funding acquired, the Agency will install 602 transformers to rural districts in the country and extend grid lines to over 40 districts countrywide.
