Gridworks has entered into a Joint Development Agreement with the Government of Uganda to deliver the Mbale-Bulambuli-Kween transmission line in eastern Uganda, which will boost the uptake of more renewable power in the country.
Gridworks, a subsidiary of British International Investment, the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, will develop the transmission line as a privately financed Independent Power Transmission (IPT) project.
This is the second IPT in Uganda that Gridworks is developing. It will support Uganda in meeting its climate targets, as well as the country’s economic development, industrialisation, and energy access goals.
The new infrastructure includes almost 80km of high-voltage transmission lines and two new substations allowing the evacuation of up to 250MW of renewable generation in the Mount Elgon area onto the national grid.
This includes up to 100MW from existing and planned hydropower plants and 150MW of power from a new solar park near Bulambuli.
According to the World Bank, only 47% of Uganda’s population currently has access to electricity.
Chris Flavin, Gridworks’ Interim CEO, said: “The Mbale-Bulambuli-Kween project will enable the evacuation of hundreds of MWs of renewable power to customers in the east of Uganda. It will boost economic growth by helping deliver more power to industry and will increase energy access for households. I’m delighted that Gridworks is demonstrating that private sector investment can play an important part in the growth of Africa’s electricity networks. Project development in the transmission sector requires specialised skills and expertise, and we are delighted to be working to deliver practical solutions to Africa’s energy challenges.”
Ruth Nankabirwa, Uganda’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, welcomed the agreement and said: “The 132 kV Mbale-Bulambuli-Kween transmission line is a critical infrastructure project that will drive industrialisation and expand electrification in line with Uganda’s Third National Development
Plan (NDP III) and forthcoming NDP IV. This project is also a key component of our Energy Policy & Grid Development Plan and will address the current bottlenecks in power evacuation on the eastern part of the Ugandan grid. We are, therefore, delighted to partner once again with Gridworks to deliver this transformative initiative, which will contribute significantly to Uganda’s socio-economic development.”
Chris Chijiutomi, Managing Director and Head of Africa at British International Investment, said: “As one of the few dedicated Africa-focused investors in power transmission, we are pleased to see Gridworks playing its role as an important partner in helping to deliver on the potential of Africa’s renewable power sector. This investment will unlock access to green and affordable electricity for the people of Uganda.”
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
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