wiredinUSA May 2013

INDEX

Umeme aims to cut losses

Umeme is refurbishing two substations at Waligo in Mutundwe and Lubowa to connect 20,000 new consumers in the surrounding areas, and has acquired a SCADA system to monitor electricity usage from a central location, improving operational efficiency. Babungi said the 250MW Bujjagali power dam has decreased the incidence of power black outs, improving revenues. He, however, added that power blackouts may resume in the next 12 months if no additional supply reaches the market. "Power demand is growing rapidly at 10 percent annually. We need about 50MW to be added on the national grid every year until the 600MW Karuma power dam comes online," he noted.

Energy utility Umeme is to install a new insulated power cable to improve safety, reduce energy theft and cut power losses to about 23 percent over the year. Naked electricity wires will be phased out to make illegal connectionsmoredifficult toachieve. "We have already introduced the insulated cables in Entebbe, Nateete and Abaita Ababiri. The ABC conductors have reduced energy losses to 21 percent, from35 percent, in these areas," said Selestino Babungi, the Umeme chief financial officer. To date 513,000 users are connected to the electricity grid; 55,000 more than the start of 2012. About 300 new connections are made each day since the process was decentralized. It now takes seven days to get an electricity connection, compared to 14 days in 2010.

ASIA / AFRICA NEWS

wiredInUSA - May 2013

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