Uganda May Run Out of Power in 3 Years , Umeme Warns as They Exit

Mr. Selestino Babungi, the CEO of Umeme, warned the country on Monday that Uganda could face a power shortage in the next three years if urgent action is not taken. He said electricity demand is growing quickly, and if no strong steps are made, there will not be enough power by 2028.

He added that although there are plans like connecting to the East African power pool and getting electricity from Ethiopia, more effort is still needed. Uganda needs to act fast to make sure power generation meets the growing demand.

The government is also stepping in. Hon. Ruth Nakabirwa, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, said the ministry is working on new projects. She announced that they will begin hiring consultants and carrying out studies for a new 400MW hydropower plant called Kiba. This project will be located close to Karuma.

Just last year, in September 2024, Uganda started using the 600MW Karuma Hydropower Project. Still, experts say the country must continue investing in bigger power plants and better power transmission systems. They estimate that electricity use in Uganda will grow 14% every year, and each person may use up to 1,750 kWh by 2050, compared to about 80 kWh today.

Progress Made by Umeme

Over the past 20 years, Umeme has made strong progress. Mr. Babungi noted that the company expanded transformer zones from 500 to 17,000 and grew the electricity distribution lines to 44,000 kilometers. The number of customers jumped from 250,000 to 2.2 million.

Energy losses also dropped from 38% to 16%. Meanwhile, revenue increased from Shs 160 billion, helped by government support, to Shs 2.3 trillion each year.

However, he also pointed out that the current electricity network is now carrying 70% more power than it did just five years ago. With rapid development and more people connecting to electricity, the system is under pressure. Mr. Babungi said the country needs to invest more in expanding and maintaining the network to avoid power cuts.

Cleaner Cooking and Environmental Focus

On another note, the Ministry of Energy is working to reduce the use of firewood and charcoal for cooking. These traditional fuels harm the environment and can be bad for people's health due to smoke. To support this effort, Vivo Energy introduced a new Shell Gas package to promote cleaner cooking in homes.

Meanwhile, Ugandans continue to embrace their rich culture. The 4th edition of the Ndeku Nyama Choma Festival was launched at Shisa Nyama Village with the theme “Diversity, Taste of Africa, and African Rhymes.” The event will include live performances from popular artists like Tracy Melon and Fyno. Hillary Baguma, Uganda Waragi’s Brand Manager, and MC Uganda helped launch the event.

Public figures like Kyabazinga William Nadiope Gabula, Inhebantu Jovia Mutesi, and singer Rema Namakula with her husband Hamza also showed up in stylish outfits that blended modern fashion with cultural pride.