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Executive exchange hosted on hydropower best practices for Uganda

Executive exchange hosted on hydropower best practices for Uganda

May 16 to 20, as part of the Uganda Generation Partnership, the United States Energy Association (USEA) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted an Executive Exchange on Hydropower Best Practices in Uganda for the Uganda Electricity Generation Company (UEGCL). 

Under the Energy Utility Partnership Program (EUPP), USEA, with USAID Power Africa funding, has been helping improve Uganda’s power generation by working with UEGCL since 2017. Over the past five years, the program has prioritized building the capacity of Uganda’s hydropower plants through improving operations and maintenance, asset management and dam safety. 

The program featured four volunteer speakers from the U.S.: John Yale and Mark Mullins of Chelan Public Utility District, Jonathan Moore of Moore Ventures and Sharon Roach of Mead and Hunt. They shared expertise and knowledge with over 30 participants from UEGCL. 

The hands-on training will help participants work on improving operations and maintenance of hydropower plant, dam safety and surveillance monitoring plans (DSSMP), alkali-silica reaction (ASR) mitigation strategy/condition assessment/rehabilitation and risk management indicators and quantification methods. During this exchange, UEGCL gave the experts tours of the 380 MW Nalubaale and Kiira Hydropower Complex and 183 MW Isimba Hydropower Station and discussed improvements in operations and maintenance.

“We are grateful for the exchanges and technical assistance USEA has provided these last 5 years with USAID Power Africa funding. It is clear that almost every recent new milestone gained at UEGCL have directly come through USAID Power Africa funding,” said Dr. Eng. Harrison Mutikanga, chief executive officer of UEGCL.

Uganda, located at the source of the Nile River, has vast hydropower resources and is in the process of developing a number of run-of-river dams, including the 600 MW Karuma Hydropower Station. The country has a goal of achieving 80% of its electricity access by 2040, with about 30% access rate currently, with hydroelectricity providing most of the country’s power generation. 

USEA is a nonprofit, apolitical, non-lobbying organization founded in 1924. In the U.S., USEA serves as a resource, by convening energy stakeholders to share policy, scientific and technological information to foster the advancement of the entire energy sector. Internationally, USEA supports global energy development by expanding access to safe, affordable and environmentally acceptable energy in partnership with the U.S. Government.