The East African Crude Oil Pipeline’s (EACOP) Pump Station One (PS1) in Buseruka sub-county, Hoima District, has reached 80 percent completion, according to Lot One Manager Hadi Watfa.
Watfa told a delegation from the Bank of Uganda, led by Deputy Governor Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba, and officials from the Petroleum Authority of Uganda on Wednesday that civil works are at 70 percent, steel structure installation has begun, and the facility will be mechanically complete by June 2026.
“We expect pre-inauguration activities in February and March, with full commissioning in June 2026. We are on schedule to bury the entire feeder pipeline before the end of this year. A lot of this work is being executed by Ugandan engineers and technicians, reflecting our commitment to national content,” Watfa said.
Pump Station One will serve as a vital hub for the 1,443-kilometre heated pipeline, receiving crude from Tilenga and Kingfisher oil fields and pumping it to the port of Tanga, Tanzania. So far, 75 kilometres of the line have been welded, with ongoing work focused on coating, threading, and joint covering.
Watfa highlighted EACOP’s advanced safety and monitoring systems, which include electrical and fiber-optic cables running the length of the pipeline to deliver heat and enable real-time satellite surveillance. “Safety personnel will be able to detect leaks, theft, or sabotage within seconds and isolate the affected section,” he said.
Prof. Nuwagaba praised the progress, saying oil production will be a game-changer for Uganda’s economy. “Oil is going to be one of the major industries that will bring inflows to drive growth. With these developments, Uganda’s GDP is projected to double in about five years,” he noted.
He added that the Bank of Uganda will manage the Petroleum Investment Reserve Fund on behalf of government to channel revenues into other development priorities.
