Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) announced plans to complete the 33-kilovolt Kabale Power Substation by September, aiming to stabilize electricity supply in the Kigezi sub-region. Currently relying on distant substations, the sub-region faces challenges like power and voltage drops due to long transmission lines of about 200 kilometers.
Eng Mary Dawn Nakasozi, Manager of the Mirama-Kabale project at UETCL, shared this information during an on-site assessment by the Parliamentary Committee of Environment and Natural Resources in Kabale District. The substation, constructed to alleviate power instability in Kigezi, will facilitate the transmission of electricity from the Muvumbe hydropower project and Kisoro District.
Completed works include earthing, with the substation set to benefit districts like Kabale, Isingiro, Kisoro, and Rukungiri. Supported by a 132-kilovolt extension from Mirama, the substation will step down the voltage to 33 kilovolts for local distribution. It will also transfer 33 megavolts to a planned power generation site within Kabale, supplying power to a proposed iron ore factory and regional industrial parks.
Eng Ziria Tibalwa Waako, CEO of the Electricity Regulatory Authority, stated that the $13.75 million (UGX 52.4 billion) substation project, which includes road infrastructure renovation, will provide power to Kisoro District, currently relying on the Mbarara substation.
Despite facing a nine-year delay since its start in March last year, the project is progressing steadily, according to Mr. Otim Otala Emmanuel, Chairman of Environment and Natural Resources. The completion target aligns with the designs reaching 68 percent and all earthworks reaching 27 percent. Colenco Consulting, the project consultant, anticipates transformer tests in China to further advance the completion progress.
