Parliament report blames underperforming WENRECO, Electro-Maxx for West Nile electricity problems
Okaasai Sidronius, State Minister for Energy, said govt has stepped up efforts to address electricity shortages in West Nile and that soon West Nile will harvest its own energy and be able to export to DRC and South Sudan.
The Parliament’s Committee on Environment and Natural Resources has learnt that the total electricity generation for West Nile from WENRECO and Electro-Maxx is below the installed capacity of 11.78MW and below the total peak demand of 6MW for the region.
The West Budama South MP, Emmanuel Otaala, also the committee chairperson, presented the report [Download it HERE] to parliament during Tuesday’s plenary. The report highlights the erratic electricity supply in West Nile.
“The need for adequate and reliable electricity is key in driving Uganda’s vision of transforming the whole country from a peasant to an industrialized economy,” Otaala said.
Adding: “Despite West Nile being a trade hub connecting to South Sudan and DRC, it experiences rampant load shedding and power outages which have hindered its contribution to economic transformation of the country,”
The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, who chaired the sitting, asked the minister to visit West Nile and help have the matter addressed and solved. “The main issue for West Nile is connecting them to the national grid. We can move around but that is the solution,” Tayebwa said.
Okaasai Sidronius, State Minister for Energy, said govt has stepped up efforts to address electricity shortages in West Nile and that soon West Nile will harvest its own energy and be able to export to DRC and South Sudan.
Members of Parliament are concerned that there is a slow connection of all parts of the country on the national power grid.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa says that all sub-counties around the country should be connected.
“People don’t have the shs730, 000 for new power connections. If it was in my power, I would connect everyone for free. In one or two years, you would have recovered that money,” Tayebwa said in a message directed at the energy ministry.
