West Nile Leaders Urged to Promote Higher Electricity Consumption

KAMPALA, Uganda — Leaders in Uganda’s West Nile sub-region have been called upon to shift their focus from lamenting about the lack of electricity to marketing and utilizing the available power.

This comes after President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni commissioned a 289-kilometer Kole-Gulu-Arua 132 kilovolt Transmission Line and associated 80MVA 132kV substations in Kole, Gulu, Nebbi, and Arua on August 3, 2024, connecting West Nile to the national grid.

According to Eng. Kenneth Kigumba, General Manager of West Nile Electricity Company (WENRECo), records show only 31,063 total connections to electricity in the sub-region. These include four connections for large industries, 39 for medium industries, 622 for commercial purposes, and 30,403 for domestic purposes.

Kigumba revealed that despite having 130MW of electricity, consumption at peak hours stands at 7MW during the day and drops to 2.5MW at night. He emphasized that leaders must ensure electricity consumption exceeds 7MW.

Caesar Draecebo, President of the Arua City Development Forum, acknowledged the need to change the narrative about power in the sub-region to attract investors. He noted that the nighttime consumption drop indicates limited commercial activity.

Lillian Ayot, WENRECo’s Public Relations Officer, appealed to the public to apply for connections and start businesses to utilize excess electricity, citing an ongoing free electricity connection project.

Jimmy Awuzu, Chairperson of the Hotel Owners Association in Arua, urged community leaders, local government, WENRECo, and private sector players to empower power consumers to establish cottage industries and absorb excess power.

“If we don’t have the capacity to use this power, I think it will be useless. And it is very uneconomical to both us and the government,” Awuzu added.

Natalia Dratelu, a resident of Arua City, appealed to authorities to connect institutions such as schools, health centers, and rural areas using the excess electricity.

The West Nile sub-region comprises districts like Nebbi, Moyo, and Yumbe. With the new transmission line in place, leaders are now tasked with promoting economic growth and development through effective electricity utilization.