UEDCL Unveils Ambitious 100-Day Plan to Overhaul Power Network Following Umeme Takeover

The Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), which officially assumed power distribution responsibilities from Umeme last month, has announced a comprehensive 100-day roadmap aimed at revitalising the nation’s electricity network, expediting new customer connections, and injecting significant capital investments.

The ambitious plan was detailed last week during a public forum organised by Kigo Thinkers and held at the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) headquarters. UEDCL officials addressed a concerned public, outlining their strategy following the landmark transition that occurred on March 31st.

Protaze Tibyakinura, UEDCL’s chief engineer and technical services officer, candidly acknowledged the initial hurdles encountered during the handover. “We have operated for 15 days now, and the first 15 days have not been easy,” he admitted, emphasising the company’s preparedness for the inherent complexities of such a significant transition.

However, UEDCL swiftly moved to assure the public of tangible improvements on the horizon. Tibyakinura announced that the connection of new customers would commence next week. “We have materials in the stores. We are now packaging and distributing them to our local offices. So, the new connection line is going to be open next week,” he affirmed. He further reassured citizens that all pending connection requests inherited from Umeme would be honored without any additional charges.

Looking ahead, UEDCL plans to initiate ERA-approved capital projects in May, with an immediate focus on alleviating the strain on the existing infrastructure. A significant injection of approximately 500 transformers is slated to relieve overloaded substations nationwide. “Many people have transformers that are strained, and that is also part of the outages we are experiencing,” Tibyakinura explained, highlighting the direct impact these investments will have on improving the reliability and quality of electricity supply. He indicated that contractors are expected to be on the ground implementing these upgrades by the end of April.

The company’s long-term vision includes larger infrastructure projects, such as network extensions, the construction of new substations, and major refurbishments, all scheduled for implementation throughout May and June. Tibyakinura confidently stated that financing would not impede these crucial developments this year.

Addressing the recent spate of power blackouts that have plagued parts of the country, Tibyakinura attributed them to the inevitable transitional challenges, including delays in recruitment and pre-existing issues such as non-functional transformers inherited from Umeme. He reported that UEDCL has already made significant strides in rectifying these issues, having replaced approximately 200 faulty transformers and rebuilt 300 structures damaged by storms within its first two weeks of operation. He assured the public that network performance has since shown marked improvement.

ERA CEO Ziria Tibalwa Waako provided further context, revealing that UEDCL has been allocated a substantial $100 million (approximately 370 billion Ugandan shillings) for network restoration and upgrades over the next nine months. “Umeme has never been able to reach that in any particular year,” she emphasised, underscoring the scale of investment now being directed towards the sector. Waako clarified that UEDCL will recover these costs through tariffs, mirroring Umeme’s previous operational model, thereby ensuring the company’s long-term financial sustainability. She noted that the initial capital injection is government seed funding.

ERA has set ambitious performance targets for UEDCL, including a reduction in energy loss from Umeme’s 16% to 14.59% within the current year, with further progressive reductions planned to align with the national goal of achieving universal electricity access by 2030. Consistent revenue collection above 99.85% is also a key expectation, with prepaid metering for households and automated meters for industries serving as crucial tools in achieving this. Waako also announced that all government ministries, departments, and agencies will be mandated to adopt prepaid three-phase meters.

Meanwhile, Blessing Nshaho, Umeme’s chief corporate and regulatory officer, highlighted the significant transformation of the power grid during the outgoing company’s two-decade tenure. He noted a substantial increase in customer numbers from approximately 250,000 to over two million, with an impressive 220,000 new connections made in the last year alone. Revenue saw a dramatic rise from 160 billion shillings annually to 2.5 trillion shillings.

The number of transformers surged from 5,000 to 17,000, and transmission capacity expanded from 500 MVA to 2,500 MVA. Power line extensions grew from 17,000 kilometres to 44,000 kilometres, accompanied by improved staff efficiency. Umeme also spearheaded the digitisation of its customer service and operational framework. Nshaho pointed to the reduction in energy loss from 38% to 16% and improved collection rates as key achievements in boosting distribution efficiency. He also highlighted the handover of 16 substations, including both refurbished and new switching stations, and a significant increase in the national electricity access rate from 5% to 57% (including off-grid solutions).

As UEDCL embarks on its ambitious 100-day plan, the nation watches with anticipation, hopeful for a more reliable and efficient electricity supply that will power Uganda’s continued development.