The Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa has said the country is still on course to hit the target of producing 52,000 megawatts of electricity by 2040.
As part of Uganda’s 2023 Energy Transition Plan aimed at supporting industrial growth and national development, government set an ambitious target of 52,000MW by 2040 through hydropower, solar, wind, nuclear and geothermal.
Speaking ahead of this year’s Power and Electricity Uganda International Expo set for July 10 to 12 at the UMA Showgrounds in Kampala, Nanabirwa said big strides have so far been taken towards achieving the 20240 target.
“Uganda's electricity generation has reached 2,052MW with the completion of the Karuma HPP. Future projects like Nyagak III and small hydropower plants will further boost capacity. In the medium and long term, Government will develop large hydropower projects including Ayago (840MW), Oriang (392MW), Kiba (400MW), and further develop geothermal resources, which are estimated to have electricity generation potential of 450MW,” Nankabirwa said.
She also mentioned the 48MW Muzizi Hydro Power project in Western Uganda, the 8400MW nuclear potential in Buyende, two sites for geothermal being explored in Panyimur and in Kibiro located at the Eastern escarpment of Albertine Rift Valley as other options to contribute to the country’s energy mix.
The minister noted that government is also looking at partnering with private investors to put in place several solar mini grids to also help contribute to the country’s energy mix.
“One by one, all that will give us the power that we need.Our target for generation is 52,000 megawatts of electricity by 2040. I wish all factors remain constant, we get money and we hit this target,” she said.
Commenting about the Power and Electricity Uganda International Expo, the minister said it aligns well with the country’s targets of producing 52,000 megawatts by 2040.
“The expo aligns with our goal of meeting the energy needs of the country and supports Uganda's energy transition efforts. We are committed to providing stakeholders with the information and resources they need to advance Uganda's energy and mineral sectors,” she said.
The expo which will run under the theme, “The future of energy, smart, clean and connected” will attract over 4000 professional visitors to Uganda and over 120 exhibitors from Uganda, India, China, Qatar, Tanzania, Sri Lanka and Kenya among others.
It will serve as a business-to-business platform for networking and addressing industry challenges, including technological gaps and innovation systems.