- This is the largest power-generating installation in the country
- The project will bring social economic development, stable power but is also a tourist attraction site.
President Yoweri Museveni is set to commission the Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station, a 600 MW hydroelectric power project today Thursday 26th /September/ 2024.
This is the largest power-generating installation in the country and 14th of the kind in the world.
Karuma Hydropower Station commenced commercial operations on June 12, 2024, with an installed capacity of 600 MW.
Eng Emmanuel Nsubuga, project manager Karuma says they have faced a number of challenges however the construction was successfully completed in August 2024.
He says the project was packaged in a way that it supports the national grid, with a number of substations spread across the country.
“We built a substation connecting power to the central business region through Karuma-Kawanda, we have another taking power to West Nile through Olwiyo Substation and Lira substation connecting the Northern region” Eng Nsubuga added.
Dr. Patricia Litho, Assistant Commissioner of Communications Ministry of energy says Karuma Hydropower Station is strategically situated on the Kyoga Nile, upstream of the Nile River—the longest river in the world making it a tourist attraction.
“This project will bring social economic development, stable power but is also a tourist attraction site.
Karuma was funded through a loan; however it is purely a public project. Govt contributed an equity of 15% and borrowed 85% from Exim Bank of China which has to be paid over a period of time.