Kampala, Uganda – The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, has expressed concern over the ongoing power outages, stating that the problem cannot be resolved immediately. She attributed the instability to the heavy workload of maintaining all power distribution infrastructure and the increasing electricity demand.
The comments come following the official handover of national power distribution duties. As of March 31st this year, the concession of the previous distributor, Umeme, expired. Consequently, the authority to distribute and supply electricity has been transferred to the government-owned Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL).
For the last six months under UEDCL's management, many Ugandans have been dissatisfied with the frequent power fluctuations and blackouts, which have disrupted daily life and business operations. This has led some citizens to call for the reinstatement of Umeme.
UEDCL officials have acknowledged the public's frustration. As a new operator in the sector, they are working to establish their systems and have pleaded for patience as they strive to stabilise the situation.
While addressing the media, Minister Nankabirwa appealed for public understanding, explaining that the current power instability cannot be fixed instantly.
The Minister revealed that this comprehensive maintenance and upgrade plan is a long-term strategy expected to take about two years to complete. She also pointed to the vandalism of power infrastructure as a major cause of electricity disruptions in many regions.
To address the infrastructure deficit, Nankabirwa disclosed that the government has secured loans to finance the construction of new power substations. This expansion is crucial to keep pace with the rapidly growing number of electricity consumers in the country.
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