The Ministry of Energy says Uganda’s installed electricity generation capacity has grown by about 70 per cent over the past five years to more than 2,000 megawatts, supported by new hydropower, solar projects and expanded transmission infrastructure.
Permanent Secretary Irene Bateebe said the growth reflects sustained public investment aimed at stabilising supply and extending electricity access nationwide.
Uganda’s transmission network has expanded to more than 5,000 kilometres, enabling power to reach regions that were previously underserved. Major projects include the Gulu–Kole–Nebbi–Arua line connecting West Nile to the national grid, new lines in southwestern Uganda such as Mirama–Kabale, and high-voltage transmission linked to the Karuma Hydropower Project, including Karuma–Kawanda and Karuma–Lira.
“These projects have significantly boosted and stabilised power supply across the country,” Bateebe said, noting that improved transmission has also reduced outages and strengthened the grid’s ability to absorb new generation.
On the distribution side, government programmes have accelerated household connections. Under the Electricity Access Scale-Up Project, supported by the World Bank, about 200,000 people have recently been connected to electricity, with the government targeting 400,000 new household connections each year. The push is focused on rural and peri-urban areas, where electrification rates remain low.
Alongside grid expansion, Uganda is increasingly turning to renewable energy, particularly solar power, as a key pillar of its energy transition.
Solar energy experts say falling technology costs, abundant sunshine and government incentives have made solar generation more attractive for both the national grid and households.
One of the country’s notable grid-connected solar projects is the Kabulasoke Solar Power Plant in Gomba district, operated by the Xsabo Group. Commissioned in December 2019 and officially launched in early 2020, the plant sits on 131 acres and represents an investment of more than $20 million.
It generates about 20 megawatts of electricity under a 21-year generation concession.
Speaking at the facility, site manager Walter Muhindo said the plant has demonstrated the reliability of solar power since it began operations.
“We normally send 20 megawatts to the national grid, and on a good day, with about six sun hours, we generate an average of 120 megawatt-hours,” Muhindo said. On peak days, output can reach as high as 136 megawatt-hours.
The plant has an installed capacity of 20 megawatts alternating current (AC) and 22.49 megawatts direct current (DC), making it a significant contributor to the national grid.
Muhindo said the facility operates under strict maintenance and regulatory standards, including routine cleaning of panels to counter dust from nearby marram roads, continuous monitoring through a weather station, and compliance with minimum monthly performance ratios set by the electricity regulator.
Uganda’s climate gives it a natural advantage, Muhindo said.
“Uganda is blessed with abundant sun, and solar is one of the resources we can rely on to create access to energy for all.” He credited government incentives for promoting renewable energy but said greater public sensitisation is still needed to improve uptake, especially at the household level.
Solar power, he added, offers clear environmental benefits compared with thermal generation. “Solar is renewable in nature and has less or no impact on the environment compared to thermal plants that generate pollution,” Muhindo said, noting its role in reducing carbon emissions and supporting long-term sustainability.
Concerns about land use for large-scale solar projects are also being addressed through new technologies.
Muhindo said innovations such as agrivoltaics where farming and power generation share the same land are already being applied at Kabulasoke, where sheep are used to manage vegetation beneath the panels.
Advances in solar module design, including bifacial monocrystalline panels that capture reflected sunlight from the ground, are also reducing land requirements.
“In the past, a 20-megawatt plant would require about 100 acres, but with newer bifacial technology, the same capacity can be achieved on far less land,” he said. Floating solar plants on water bodies are also being explored as a future option.
At the policy level, the government is planning for rapid growth in electricity demand, projected at about 14.6 per cent annually, driven largely by industry, which consumes nearly 70 per cent of Uganda’s power. Bateebe said feasibility studies are underway for new hydropower projects, expanded solar generation, geothermal development and long-term preparations for nuclear power as part of an ambitious plan to reach 52,000 megawatts of capacity by 2040.
Energy experts say the combination of grid expansion, renewable investment and access programmes signals a decisive shift toward a more secure, cleaner and inclusive energy sector one increasingly powered by the sun.