Uganda hit by power outage for several hours, grid operator says
Friday June 07 2024
A general view shows the capital city of Kampala in Uganda on July 4, 2016. PHOTO | REUTERS
Uganda on Friday suffered a rare nationwide electricity blackout for several hours, state-run power grid announced, adding that power was gradually being restored late in the afternoon.
Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL), responsible for power transmission in the country, blamed the power outage on technical issues at Karuma Hydro Power plant in a post on X, formerly twitter.
Read: Uganda shuts two power plants over floating weeds
"UETCL informs the general public that a national blackout has been registered this morning following a load rejection test at the Karuma Hydro Power Plant," the power transmitter said, adding that system restoration is underway.
Public notice on the ongoing national blackout. cc @UmemeLtd @UEDCLTD pic.twitter.com/WAxhRJOn0J
— UETCL (@uetcl) June 7, 2024
The 600MW Karuma power plant is located on the Nile River in Kiryandongo District in mid-northern Uganda, 110km downstream of Lake Kyoga, and 270km from Uganda's capital, Kampala.
In February this year, the last unit of the six turbines at the power plant was launched, according to the Daily Monitor.
Read: Uganda switches on last unit of Karuma Dam
The first unit of the power plant completed its trial run and grid connection tests on March 21, 2023.
Financed by the Export-Import Bank of China (Eximbank) at approximately $1.7 billion, the dam is critical in meeting the region’s increasing electricity demand in efforts to accelerate industrialisation.
It has been touted as the project that will reverse the high cost of power that is impacting the government’s industrialisation drive as well as increase the country’s capacity to export power, even though it comes with more debt repayment pressure, energy economists say.
The dam is poised to generate power for export to South Sudan, about 180km away, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, about 200km away.
Last year, Uganda and South Sudan signed a Power Sales Agreement for trade in electricity between the two countries. The deal was signed in the South Sudanese capital Juba.
Read: Uganda in talks with China firm over power export to South Sudan
The power will be supplied mainly to the towns of Oraba, Elegu, Kaya, and Nimule in South Sudan before extending it to Juba.