Government’s Power Takeover Pays Off: UEDCL connects nearly 650,000 new customers in six months
Within the first six months since Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) took over UMEME, the government entity has added 648,404 new connections (customers) to the national grid, the company official has revealed.
Uganda’s national electricity grid has experienced a dramatic expansion, with the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) connecting an impressive 648,404 new customers within the first six months of taking over from UMEME. This significant milestone pushes the total number of connections to 2,430,489, up from 1,782,085 in April when the government entity assumed management.
The revelation was made by UEDCL’s Managing Director, Paul Mwesigwa, on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, during a weekly meeting at the State House Investors’ Protection Unit (SHIPU). The forum convenes leaders of government agencies to discuss achievements and shared challenges.
Mwesigwa highlighted several other key achievements during UEDCL’s initial half-year of operations. The number of grid-connected households surged from 1,687,267 to 2,327,898 within the same period, indicating a substantial increase in access to electricity for Ugandan families.
Infrastructure development also saw significant growth, with the national grid length extending from 3,431 km to 5,140 km. Furthermore, the total installed generation capacity witnessed a remarkable increase from 1,362 megawatts to 2,049 megawatts, bolstering the country’s energy supply.
Crucially, UEDCL has also made strides in operational efficiency, with energy losses significantly decreasing from 19.1% to a more efficient 16.8%.
“The government took a fundamental decision to take over all the privately operated concessionaires,” Mwesigwa stated, emphasizing the strategic importance of the move. “That is a fundamental achievement; in that regard, the government has actually scored very well.”
The weekly meeting, now in its fifth edition, was hosted by SHIPU and brought together several high-ranking government officials. Among the attendees were Patrick Birungi, the Executive Director of Uganda Development Corporation (UDC), who chaired the meeting, and Benson Turamye, the Executive Director of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA).
Other notable leaders present included Prof. Bruce Kirenga, the Principal of Makerere College of Health Sciences, and Desmond Tutu Opio, a Senior Monitoring and Evaluation specialist representing the Managing Director of Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company (UECCC). Kule Walid, an Assistant Commissioner at the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), stood in for the Registrar General. Edward Katende, the CEO of Uganda Development Forum (UDF), and Osborn Turyasingura, who heads the secretariat for special interest groups, also participated alongside several SHIPU staff.
