UK Firm Sets UP Shs93bn Solar Power Plant In Uganda

Great Lakes Africa Energy (GLAE), a United Kingdom registered, sub-Sahara focused energy solutions provider is set to celebrate its seventh anniversary and launch the recently completed US$ 25million (Shs93bn) solar power generating plant in Uganda.

Acting as the lead financial and technical investor, GLAE is part of a development consortium comprising of Uganda’s Xsabo Power Limited which has been working to deliver the 24MW Kabulasoke Solar Power Park in conjunction with the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited.

With the official commissioning of the Kabulasoke Solar Power Park, which is the first of its kind in the East Africa region, Uganda will be making a big leap towards enhancing its renewable energy capacity.

In Uganda, over the festive season, the project development teams, literally burnt the midnight oil to complete critical commissioning tests on Christmas day, managing to achieve the project Commercial Operations Start Date (COD) ahead of the New Year.

The successful completion of the pilot commissioning tests and the achievement of a COD, in collaboration with the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL), now paves the way for the Kabulasoke Solar Power Park official commissioning on the Ugandan power grid for onward distribution to power consumers in coming days.

According to GLAE Director, Michael Kearns, the Commercial Operations Start Date (COD) for the project, was achieved on Sunday, 30th December 2018 and duly confirmed by (UETCL), as per terms of a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Government of the Republic of Uganda. 

“With the achievement of a COD milestone, we are now ready to undertake the ceremonial commissioning of the largest solar power park in East and Central Africa at the earliest opportunity,” Kearns said, adding that, “The grid switching of the Kabulasoke project marks yet another milestone for GLAE alongside our other projects in Ndola Zambia and Rovuma in Mozambique, where we are providing energy solutions to power national development ideals.”

Once officially commissioned, the Kabulasoke project, which is already connected to the national grid, Kearns said, will serve a population of more than 5 million in rural Uganda, who currently rely on kerosene; among other non-renewable energy sources while affording more than 21,000 tons of carbon savings.

“At Great Lakes Africa Energy we are proud to be associated with the Government of Uganda, Xsabo Power Limited and the consortium partners for making this project possible,” Kearns said, and added: “we are passionate about our mission to power the Great Lakes and Southern Africa region including Uganda, by developing and managing state-of-the-art power projects generated from the most efficient local sources of energy.”

GLAE is in the process of securing additional Power Purchase Agreements in Africa and beyond and is currently screening opportunities in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo among other countries.