The government of Uganda has obtained a 32 billion Ugandan shillings loan to construct a seven-kilometre power submarine cable connecting Kalangala district (Ssese islands) to the mainland at Masaka. The sh32 billion loan has been secured from African Development Bank under the Uganda Rural Electricity Access Project to construct the first power submarine cable and connect it to the national grid. The marine life will not be affected neither the aquatic life since the cable has a thick insulation layer.
According to state Minister for Energy and Minerals development Mary Gorret Kitutu, the project is intended to lower tarrifs charged for power in Kalangala.
Kalangala Infrastructure Services Limited, the company responsible for supplying power on Buggala Island is charging over 825 sh per unit of used power. The minister says this is over twice the charge paid elsewhere in the country so the cable will help lower the cost of doing business on the islands, economically empower the residents of Kalangala and boost it’s tourism sector.
The Lake Victoria power submarine cable project will be executed by the CCC Engineering LTD, a subsidiary of the Engineering Department of China National Electric Wire & Cable Imp./Exp. Corporation under the supervision of the Rural Electrification Agency of Uganda (REA). The scope of the work covers surveying, structural spotting, line route profiling, and pegging, procurement, delivery to site, and laying on the floor of Lake Victoria a 33-kilovolt seven-kilometer submarine cable and two 33 kilovolt switching sub-stations in Bukakata and Bugoma, and 27 distribution transformers.
Other tasks include the construction of a medium voltage and low voltage network, installation of distribution transformers and protection equipment, and installation of last-mile connections, including the supply of service cable, installation of prepaid meters and distribution ready boards to some 1,651 potential consumers.
The submarine cable will complement the 1.6 megawatts (per hour) solar power plant operated by the Kalangala Infrastructure Services, a Public-Private Partnership between government and private infrastructure development venture, namely InfraCo Africa.
Patricia Litho, the cooperate communication and community affairs officer in Rural Electrification Agency says, the project is not to compete with Kalangala Infrastructure Services but rather to extend reliable services towards the Kalangala community.
