Mukono Industrial Zone gets improved Umeme power supply

December 30, 2020 in Business, Companies, Energy, Infrastructure, Investment, Trade & Industry by Editor

President Museveni (left) said the commissioning of the new substation is part of the big plans to transform Uganda.

Electricity supply to the rapidly growing Mukono Industrial Zone has been improved with the commissioning of a new UGX72.5 billion (nearly $20 million) power station at Mbalala 30 kilometres east of Kampala.

Officially launching the Mukono North power transmission substation early this week, President Yoweri Museveni said the upgrade would help spur industrialisation and job creation. He said, “The commissioning of the substation is part of the big plans to transform Uganda.”

The facility is expected to provide more reliable power supply to more than 75 factories in the zone, currently employing an estimated 62,000 people.

Umeme Managing Director Selestino Babungi, said the listed company has already spent $3.4 million in constructing evacuation lines to link the facility with industrial consumers in Mbalala, Mukono District to Katosi, 40 kms away, Mpata and within Mbalala.

Notable customers include the National Water and Sewerage (NWSC) Katosi water pumping station, the Chinese owned diversified group, Tian Tang and Kampala Cement Factory.

The line to Katosi will boost water supply to Kampala City and its environs because National Water will then have a complementary source to the Ggaba Water Treatment Station.

Simon D’Ujanga, the state minister for energy said the new substation was part of the electrification of industrial parks project meant to ensure availability of reliable power. D’Ujanga said several other sub stations have been built in Mbale, Kasese, Masese, Kapeeka, Kaweweta, and Kabale where industrial parks are being set up.

Under the programme, four substations are to be built in Luzira, Namanve, Iganga and Mukono with funding worth $100 million from China Eximbank.

D‘Ujanga said the Mukono substation is stepping down 132KV which is being evacuated by Umeme through 13 lines to factories in Mukono.

Babungi  said the line to Katosi will boost water supply to Kampala City and its environs, because NWSC now has a complementary source to the Ggaba Water Treatment station on the outskirts of the capital.

Babungi said they have integrated Mukono North substation with the distributor’s Muniko–Lugazi substation to provide feeding options in an event that one substation develops a faulty, the industries will be supplied from alternative substation to enable manufacturers to produce uninterrupted.

Babungi said, “Now Muniko will pick power from a nearer source, which will contribute in the reduction of technical energy losses. Previously, Muniko-Lugazi was relying on Namanve North substation, up to 38 kilometres away,” Babungi explained, adding that, “Now that it will mainly draw power from Mukono North, the demand on the Namanve North substation will reduce, which should impact on the quality and reliability of supply to those who still rely on it.”