{"id":14846,"date":"2025-07-12T14:19:05","date_gmt":"2025-07-12T14:19:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ugandaupdatenews.com\/?p=14846"},"modified":"2025-07-12T14:31:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-12T14:31:21","slug":"electricity-access-scale-up-program-to-connect-900000-homes-ps-bateebe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/electricity-access-scale-up-program-to-connect-900000-homes-ps-bateebe\/","title":{"rendered":"Electricity Access Scale-Up Program to Connect 900,000 Homes-PS Bateebe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Zulfah Namatovu<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Permanenet Secretary ,Ministry of Energy and minerals Development , Eng. Irene Pauline Bateebe , has announced that more than 900,000 households are set to gain access to electricity after the government agreed with the national power distributor ,the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) to release Ug.shs. 2.4 trillion ($638 million) under the Electricity Access Scale-Up Project aimed at universal access by 2030. (EASP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Petroleum House in Entebbe , Eng. Bateebe, said the two agreements mark a major milestone in the country\u2019s electrification journey and energy transition plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese two agreements are part of the Electricity Access Scale-Up Project, a flagship initiative supported by the World Bank. The first agreement focuses on grid expansion and household connectivity, while the second enables financial intermediation and off-grid energy access through private sector partnerships,\u201d said Bateebe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The $638 million project, which became effective in 2023, is expected to facilitate atleast 1,075,000 new power connections by 2027, with UEDCL alone tasked with delivering over 900,000 of those. The government aims to scale electricity access from the current 60% to 100% by the end of the decade, as part of Uganda\u2019s Vision 2040 and National Development Plan IV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the Free Electricity Connection Policy, beneficiaries within 90 metres of a low-voltage pole will receive connections at no cost\u2014a move expected to benefit the poor, rural populations, refugee-hosting districts, and small enterprises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are targeting households, schools, health centres, agro-processors, mining fields, and industrial parks. Electricity is no longer a luxury\u2014it\u2019s a catalyst for poverty eradication, job creation, and transformation,\u201d Bateebe emphasized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project also promotes clean cooking technologies and is expected to unlock 500 MW of additional demand for both on-grid and off-grid energy. Mapping of underserved areas such as Madi Okollo, Obongi, and the Lake Victoria islands is already underway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UEDCL\u2019s Managing Director, Paul Mwesigwa, assured the public of the company\u2019s readiness to deliver results. \u201cWe have already hired 550 technicians and are onboarding an additional 400 to clear a backlog of 127,000 connection applications. Thirty thousand have already been completed,\u201d he noted<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

To eliminate exploitation by brokers, Mwesigwa said the process has been digitized. Certified electricians and eligible customers can now apply for connections online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re targeting between 30,000 to 40,000 new connections every month, and we are using our expanded national footprint, including offices formerly run by UMEME, to fast-track this work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond lighting homes, EASP is designed to drive inclusive economic growth by powering micro-enterprises, schools, health facilities, and refugee settlements. It aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 7 on affordable and clean energy and contributes to Uganda\u2019s climate change commitments by reducing reliance on firewood and charcoal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, since its February 2024 launch, the project has delivered over 119,000 connections and is expected to rapidly scale up in the coming months with the new implementation agreements in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is more than just an infrastructure project,\u201d said Bateebe. \u201cIt\u2019s about people\u2014giving Ugandans the tools to thrive, build businesses, improve health outcomes, and secure a brighter future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Editor:msserwanga@gmail.com<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Zulfah Namatovu The Permanenet Secretary ,Ministry of Energy and minerals Development , Eng. Irene Pauline Bateebe , has announced<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14847,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[367],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-energy-sector"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/ele-1.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4959,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/energy-minister-nankabirwa-commissions-6-billion-solar-mini-grid-in-lolwe-islands\/","url_meta":{"origin":14846,"position":0},"title":"Energy Minister Nankabirwa commissions 6 billion solar mini-grid in Lolwe Islands","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"January 18, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Sierra Arinaitwe As part of government\u2019s efforts towards provision of sustainable and clean energy to its citizens, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development Hon Ruth Nankabirwa has \u00a0commissioned a Ug.shs.6bn -600Kw solar Mini-grid in Lolwe Islands, Namayingo District. 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