World Small HydropoWer development report 2013

www.smallhydroworld.org

UGANDA

Published in 2013 by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and International Center on Small Hydro Power (ICSHP).

2013 UNIDO and ICSHP

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This report was jointly produced by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and International Center on Small Hydro Power (ICSHP) to provide information about small hydropower. The document has been produced without formal United Nations editing. The designations employed and the presentations of the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of UNIDO and ICSHP concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or its economic system or degree of development. Designations such as developed, industrialized and developing are intended for statistical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process: Mention of firm names or commercial products does not constitute an endorsement by UNIDO or its partners. The opinions, statistical data and estimates contained in the articles are the responsibility of the author(s) and should not necessarily be considered as reflecting the views or bearing the endorsement of UNIDO and its partners.

While every care has been taken to ensure that the content is useful and accurate, UNIDO and ICSHP and any contributing third parties shall have no legal liability or responsibility for the content or the accuracy of the information so provided, or for any loss or damage caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with reliance on the use of such information.

Copyright: Material in this publication may be freely quoted or reprinted, but acknowledgement is requested, together with a copy of the publication containing the quotation or reprint.

Recommended citation: Liu, H., Masera, D. and Esser, L., eds. (2013). World Small Hydropower Development Report 2013. United Nations Industrial Development Organization; International Center on Small Hydro Power. Available from www.smallhydroworld.org.

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1 Africa 1.1 Eastern Africa 1.1.11 Uganda Eva Maate Tusiime, Newplan Ltd., Uganda Key facts

Population 33,640,8331

Area 241,000 km2

Climate Tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast.

Topography Mostly plateau with rim of mountains1

Rain Pattern Uganda receives most of its rain between March and June, with rainfall of more than 500 mm during this season.

2

Electricity sector overview Ugandas electrification access of 6 per cent (or 9 per cent according to the World Energy Outlook 2011) is the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa and the world.

3 In the rural

areas, the access drops to 2 per cent with Northern and North-eastern Uganda registering the lowest electrification rates. Another estimated 1 per cent of the population uses fuel generator sets, car batteries and solar photovoltaic systems for lighting.

4

Electricity access is a major requirement for development, and electricity demand in Uganda is high for industrial and domestic use. However, the demand for power is more than the generation capacity, which is dominated by hydropower (figure 1). Much of the electricity transmission network at present is poorly maintained and the country experiences frequent power cuts (load shedding).

Figure 1 Electricity generation in Uganda Source: Electricity Regulatory Authority

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Small hydropower sector overview and potential A number of small hydropower plants with a combined capacity of just over 50 MW are in operation in various parts of the country as shown in table 1 (please note two plants included have capacities above 10 MW). The country definitions of small hydropower is less than 10 MW, mini is defined at 1 MW and micro at 0.1 MW.

However, there has been very little small hydropower development in Uganda. In the past, approximately 8 MW has been developed at four sites by the then Uganda Electricity Board, who later developed two sites and private developers who built another two. These sites were Mubuku I (5 MW), Maziba I (1 MW), Kisizi (0.075 NIW) and the 1.25 MW Kikagati station (which has now been decommissioned). The Maziba hydropower plant was also shut down in 2001 due to siltation problems. Plans are underway to rehabilitate this power plant.

Uganda has considerable potential for hydropower development, estimated at over 2,500 MW located mainly on the Nile River. Other Non-Nile River sites with potential capacities ranging between 0.5 and up to 5 MW are scattered throughout the country with potential for mini- and micro-hydropower development. To date less than 10 per cent of this potential has been developed.

Figure 2 Small hydropower capacities up to 10 MW in Uganda Source: Electricity Regulatory Authority

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A number of small hydropower sites with a total potential of about 210 MW (figure 2) have been identified through different studies. The level of the studies is uneven, with some sites having been studied to feasibility stage. Small hydropower sites under construction are shown in table 2 and potential small hydropower sites for development in table 3.

Recent developments in the sector have seen other small hydropower plants being developed mainly by the private sector (table 1). In addition, Ugandas Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has issued a number of permits and licences for generation of electricity from small hydropower projects, which are at various stages of development. The Uganda Constitution of 1995 has provisions for enhancing conservation and management of the environment and natural resources. The National Environment Act (NEA), Cap. 153, mandates the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) as the principal Agency in Uganda responsible for the management of the environment by coordinating, monitoring, regulating, and supervising all activities in the field of environment.

54.84%

41.69%

3.47%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Hydropower

Thermal

Co-generation

210 MW

22.4 MW

0 50 100 150 200 250

SHP potential

SHP installed capacity

2

Table 1 Installed small hydropower capacity in Uganda

Site District Installed capacity (MW)

Status/ ownership

Mubuku I Kasese 5.40 Kilembe Mined Ltd. Mubuku II/Bugoye Hydropower Project Kasese 13.00 Tronder Power Ltd. Mubuku III Kasese 9.90 Kasese Cobalt Company Ltd. Mpanga PowerStation Kamwenge 18.00 Eco Power Ltd. Ishasha Hydropower station Kanungu 6.60 Imperial Group of Companies Kuluva Moyo 0.12 Kuluva Hospital Kagando Kasese 0.06 Kagando Hospital Kisiizi Rukungiri 0.06 Kisiizi Hospital

Source: Electricity Regulatory Authority, Uganda7 Note: Listed plants are all operating.

Table 2 Small hydropower plants under construction in Uganda

Site District Installed capacity (MW)

Ownership

Nyagak Nebbi 3.5 WenereCo Buseruka Hoima 9.0 HydroMax Ltd.

Source: Electricity Regulatory Authority, Uganda7

Table 3 Potential small hydropower sites in Uganda

Site District Estimated capacity (MW)

Nyamabuye Kisoro 2.20 Mvepi Arua 2.40 Sogahi Kabarole 2.00 Ela Arua 1.50 Ririma Kapchorwa 1.50 Haisesero Kabale 1.00 Nyahuka Bundibugyo 0.65 Sezibwa Mukono 0.50 Rwigo Bundibugyo 0.48 Nyarwodo Nebbi 0.40 Agoi Arua 0.35 Kitumba Kabale 0.20 Tokwe Bundibugyo 0.40 Amua Moyo 0.12 Ngiti Bundibugyo 0.15 Leya Moyo 0.12 Nyakibale Rukungiri 0.10 Miria Adua Arua 0.10 Manafwa Mbale 0.15

Source: Tumwesigye8

Within the field of hydropower development, NEMA is mandated to award environmental clearances, following the review and approval of Environmental Audits, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) statements and Resettlement Action Plans (RAP). The clearance allows NEMA to ensure that the project and its mitigation plans comply with Ugandan standards for environmental and social impact. Where the project is on a protected river or wetland, NEMA will require the developer to also apply for permission to operate on the river/wetland involved. The National Water Policy of 1999 states that the development of water for energy production shall be

subjected to an EIA in accordance with the procedures established by NEMA.

10

According to the Water Act Cap 152, authorization has to be given to use water, construct or operate any works. The extraction permit is issued by the Directorate of Water Development.

11

The Land Act, Cap. 227, makes provision for the ownership and management of land, and provides for the compulsory acquisition of land for public purposes. It states that construction of dams and hydropower plants are public works and any person authorized to execute public works may enter into mutual agreement with the owner or occupier of the land in accordance with the Act. A RAP is normally prepared and undertaken by the developer. Compensation and resettlement activities are expected to be fulfilled by the developer.

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Renewable energy policy The Ugandan Governments Policy Vision for Renewable Energy is to make modern renewable energy a substantial part of the national energy consumption. The overall policy goal is to increase the use of modern renewable energy, increasing from the current 4 per cent to 61 per cent of the total energy consumption by the year 2017.

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This policy set out the Governments vision, strategic goals, principles, obj