Masaka City Council in Uganda is actively pursuing funding amounting to at least Shillings 480 million to transition from hydro-powered to solar energy for its streetlights, aiming to achieve sustainable energy usage. Initially, in 2017, the then Urban Council of Masaka Municipality received a grant totaling 3.6 billion Shillings from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. This grant, part of a larger loan acquired by the government from the International Development Agency (IDA), was designated for the extension of the Kawanda-Masaka hydropower line project. Utilizing these funds, hydro-powered lights were installed along major streets and markets within the area.
However, Abel Ssembajjwe, the Assistant Engineer of Masaka City, highlights challenges encountered in maintaining these lights due to high power bills. Consequently, in 2019, the City Council made the decision to remove all the LED lights, seeking a more sustainable alternative.
Ssembajjwe now proposes the conversion of the 260 hydro-powered LED lights to solar energy to ensure their efficient functionality. These lights, currently in storage within city facilities, will complement the solar-powered lights acquired through the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) projects recently implemented in the region. Additionally, a portion of the allocated funds will be dedicated to repairing existing solar streetlights that have either been vandalized or exceeded their expected lifespan.
Florence Namayanja, the Mayor of Masaka City, emphasizes the intention to fund the project from local revenue collections, expressing dissatisfaction with previous administrations for accepting hydro-powered streetlights that proved challenging to maintain.
Upon conversion, the solar-powered lights will be installed in satellite trading centers situated beyond the city’s central business area. Before the removal of the hydro-powered streetlights, Masaka Municipal Council incurred a monthly expense of 26 million Shillings in electricity bills, surpassing the anticipated cost of 14 million Shillings.
