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26 March 2010
Japan and AfDB Finance Regional Power Project
Government of Japan and African Development Bank (AfDB) will finance the interconnection of power grids project within Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda. The project includes the construction and upgrading of 220 kV lines and transformer stations. AfDB finances UA 121.82 million equivalent to USD 186.70 million, and the Government of Japan through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) provides the loan equivalent to JPY 5.406 billion (approximately USD 55 million) for the project.
The specific project sites are as follows:
(1)Uganda-Rwanda interconnection (172km): the line runs from Mbarara substation to Mirama substation in Uganda, then from Mirama substation to the new Birembo substation in Rwanda; and
(2)Kenya-Uganda interconnection (256km): the line runs from Lessos substation in Kenya to Bujagali substation passing through Tororo substation in Uganda.
The project constitutes a part of broader regional power project which is planned around Nile Equatorial Lakes Countries: Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, DR Congo and Rwanda. It seeks to improve the living conditions of the people as well as the quality of the socioeconomic development environment of the East and Central African region, based on the availability of affordable electric energy and access by the communities to electricity through increased cross-border electric power trade.
In order to contribute to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, the Government of Japan in partnership with AfDB launched the Enhanced Private Sector Assistance (EPSA) for Africa in 2005. Under this initiative, the Government of Japan and AfDB are also financing the Bujagali Interconnection Project in Uganda, which is expected to be commissioned early next year.
For more information, please contact:
Economic Cooperation Section
Embassy of Japan, P.O.Box 23553 Kampala
Tel: 0414-349542/3/4 or 0312-261564/5/6