UEDCL Adds 640,000 New Connections to National Grid
Within just six months since Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) took over UMEME, the government entity has added 648,404 new connections to the national grid. The number of connections increased from 1,782,085 to 2,430,489.
This was announced by UEDCL’s Managing Director, Mr. Paul Mwesigwa, during a meeting on Tuesday, 16th September 2025, hosted by the State House Investors’ Protection Unit (SHIPU).
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Achievements in Energy Distribution
In addition to the rise in new connections, the number of grid-connected households has significantly grown. The total number has grown from 1,687,267 to 2,327,898 during this period.
The expansion of the grid has been accompanied by impressive improvements in the national energy capacity. The grid length has increased from 3,431 km to 5,140 km, and the total installed generation capacity has surged from 1,362 megawatts to 2,049 megawatts.
Energy Losses Decrease
One of the most notable achievements has been the decrease in energy losses, which have dropped from 19.1% to 16.8%. This improvement follows the government’s decision to take over privately operated power distribution. Mr. Mwesigwa praised the government for making this decision, describing it as a fundamental achievement. He emphasized that the move has led to faster connection speeds and better overall energy distribution across the country.
Renewable Energy Vision
Mr. Desmond Tutu Opio, a senior Monitoring and Evaluation specialist at the Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company (UECCC), also shared insights on Uganda’s efforts to expand renewable energy solutions across the country. “Our target is to reduce the share of biomass energy from 86% to 50% by 2025,” he stated.
Through its financial intermediation program, UECCC has partnered with 27 financial institutions and 87 energy companies to promote solar solutions. The program has deployed over sh134 billion to reduce the costs of solar equipment, with funding from the World Bank and other international partners.
In the past year, the initiative provided 20,200 solar lanterns, 306,000 home solar systems, and 307 carbonized biomass cookstoves, helping households in remote areas like Mayuge and Pakwach.
Vandalism and Challenges in Rural Areas
Despite these advancements, vandalism remains a significant issue, particularly in rural areas. Mr. Benson Turamye, Executive Director of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), pointed out that vandalism has been affecting access to power in these areas. “This is something that needs to be addressed,” he said.
The UEDCL’s takeover has been praised by Mr. Kule Walid, an Assistant Commissioner at the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB). He noted that UEDCL’s progress had been swift and the results encouraging. He recommended increasing the public visibility of the government’s efforts.
Information Dissemination
The meeting also underscored the need to disseminate information about the government’s achievements through multiple channels, including television, radio, newspapers, and online platforms. Mr. Patrick Birungi, the chairperson of the meeting, announced plans for discussions on NBS TV and NTV, with regular publications in the New Vision newspaper to highlight development stories.
