Shs20b solar plant to boost power supply

Engineers from Kalangala Infrastructure Service Company fix solar equipment at the power plant in Kalangala District recently. PHOTO BY Henry Lubulwa

What you need to know:

Beneficiaries. The project, which will be launched in January, will ensure that all landing sites on Bugala Island in Kalangala have power

Kalangala.

Kalangala Infrastructure Service (KIS), a private company that has been working with the government to improve infrastructure in Kalangala, has began generating electricity for the island district.

The solar power plant, costing about Shs20b, and said to be the largest in sub-Saharan Africa, was switched on recently at Bukuzindu-Beta in Mugoye Sub-county.

The KIS spokesperson, Mr Mohammad Kayondo, said the electricity will be supplied to all landing sites on Bugala Island while standby generators have been put in the areas to back up the main supply system in case of any power supply interruptions.

“Although we have supplied power, we are yet to launch the station officially in early January. This is simply a test of our equipment that has been installed to supply power to all localities,” Mr Kayondo said. More than 2,800 solar panels with 480KVs each were acquired by the company to supply electricity. They are backed up with three large standby generators.

Kalangala Town Council has been getting thermal electricity operated by Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited and has always been switched off late at midnight and later switched in early at 9am.

The district Woman MP, Ms Carol Nanyondo Birungi, advised residents to come up with different business ideas that can help consume electricity so that the solar plant is productive to the communities.

How the plant works
Mr Aggrey Kawolongo, an engineer at the Bukuzindu Power Station, told Daily Monitor that the station will generate enough power to supply different phases. He said the main power grid (2,832 solar panels) will be switched on directly in the morning and later in the evening switch on generators to provide the required power for residents. However, Mr Kayondo said when the project is completed, there will be enough electricity all the time.