News
Uganda-South Sudan electricity transmission project gets security assurances as financing deal nears
RDC of Amuru district Stephen Odong (2nd right) with NELSAP team and staff from the Contractor and Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development in Gulu city recently
The staff of the joint venture company that was contracted to undertake preparatory work for the planned high voltage electricity transmission line from Uganda to South Sudan have received rock-solid assurances that their operations will not be disturbed by anyone.
The assurances were made by officials in charge of security from both countries during separate meetings held with relevant officials from Uganda’s Ministry of Energy, Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) as well as with representatives from CESI-COLENCO and ELC Electro Consult – the joint venture company that was contracted to undertake the feasibility study.
The meetings came in the wake of disturbances, including arrest of the consultant staff back in March 2024, which threatened to derail the project that is highly anticipated to boost the economies of both countries.
During a meeting held in Gulu city on June 6, 2024, Stephen Latek Odong, the Resident District Commissioner for Amuru district, assured the contractor that the security of the staff is henceforth guaranteed to finish the remaining section of the study.
Eng. Jacob Manyuon Deng, the Regional Power Program Officer at NELSAP, who headed the NELSAP team to Amuru district in Northern Uganda, informed the meeting that the 309KM transmission line is a top priority project for both Presidents of Uganda and South Sudan, and therefore called for no further delays in its implementation.
He further noted that both governments of Uganda and South Sudan, are trying to beat the September 2024 deadline to access the concessional loan/grant that has been provided by the African Development Bank.
In another meeting held at the border town of Elegu near South Sudan, security officers from South Sudan, also reassured the contractor of their readiness to provide all the necessary protection to enable the work to be completed on time.
The 400 KiloVolt transmission line will run from Olwiyo sub-station in Nwoya district to Juba City – the capital of South Sudan. It is highly anticipated because it will be the first major source of renewable hydro power.
As Eng, Jacob Manyuon observed, South Sudan has the lowest electrification rates in the world largely because of the country’s dependence on costly diesel-powered generators.
He noted that the leadership and the people of South Sudan are waiting with great anticipation, the realization of the transmission line as it will save them from power blackouts as well as high cost of running diesel generators.
Comments
