USEA Hosts Executive Exchange on Hydropower Best Practices for Uganda
Kampala, Uganda - Under the Energy Utility Partnership Program (EUPP), the United States Energy Association (USEA), with USAID Power Africa funding, has been helping improve Uganda’s power generation by working closely with the Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) since 2017. Over the past five years, the program has prioritized building capacity of Uganda’s hydropower plants through improving operations and maintenance, asset management, and dam safety.
This week, as part of the Uganda Generation Partnership, United States Energy Association (USEA) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted an Executive Exchange on Hydropower Best Practices in Uganda from May 16, to May 20, 2022 for the Uganda Electricity Generation Company (UEGCL).
The program utilized four volunteer speakers from the United States; Mr. John Yale and Mark Mullins of Chelan Public Utility District, Jonathan Moore of Moore Ventures, and Sharon Roach of Mead & Hunt, who shared expertise and knowledge with over 30 participants from UEGCL.
The hands-on training will help participants work on improving operations and maintenance of hydropower plant, Dam Safety and Surveillance Monitoring Plans (DSSMPs), Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) Mitigation Strategy/Condition Assessment/Rehabilitation and, Risk Management Indicators and Quantification Methods. During this exchange, UEGCL gave the experts in-depth tours of their Nalubaale and Kiira Hydropower Complex (380 MW) and Isimba Hydropower Station (183 MW) and discussed improvements in operations and maintenance.
The exchange closed out with remarks by Honorable Okaasai Sidronius Opolot, Honorable Minister of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Dr. Eng. Harrison Mutikanga CEO UEGCL, and Mr. Tim Stein, the Program Office Director at USAID/Uganda
Uganda, located at the source of the Nile River, has vast hydropower resources and is in the process of developing a number of run-of-river dams, including the soon to be commissioned Karuma Hydropower Station (600 MW). The country has an ambitious goal of achieving 80% of its electricity access by 2040 with approximately 30% access rate currently with hydroelectricity providing most of the country’s power generation.
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TESTIMONIALS ON THE PROGRAM
Honorable Okaasai Sidronius Opolot, Minister, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development
“This capacity building is aligned to our quest, as a Ministry, to achieve efficiency in electricity service delivery depicted by adequate, reliable and affordable electricity. The Executive Exchange on Hydropower Best Practices is timely given the fact that UEGCL is already operating the Isimba hydropower plant, and that the Karuma hydropower Plant is due to be completed this year.”
Dr. Eng. Harrison Mutikanga, UEGCL CEO
“We are grateful for the exchanges and technical assistance USEA has provided these last 5 years with USAID Power Africa funding. It is clear that almost every recent new milestone gained at UEGCL have directly come through USAID Power Africa funding.”
Tim Stein, Program Office Director, USAID/Uganda
“USAID Power Africa recognize the importance of investing in the maintenance of hydroelectric-generating equipment to ensure that power generation facilities continue to operate optimally and effectively, and that they reliably provide much needed energy for Uganda. Building the capacity of UEGCL ensures the presence of a reliability in power generation that supports Uganda’s transformation.”
Elise Voorhis, USEA Senior Program Coordinator
“Exchanges like these not only provide an immense amount of knowledge sharing between countries, but also promotes open cooperation and mutual aid. The lessons learned from just one week of training has lasting impacts on the human capacity of developing electric utilities making it possible to reach sustainability and resiliency.”
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This release was featured in The Independent, a Ugandan news outlet.