Page 8 - AfrElec Week 36 2022
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AfrElec INVESTMENT AfrElec
Uganda set to review connection
policy after securing $600mn in
World Bank funding
UGANDA UGANDA is reviewing its Free Connection Pol- for customers who cannot afford the custom-
icy to tackle a backlog in applications by different er-funded connections,” the publication writes.
service providers after securing about $600mn “Mr Tayebwa also indicated that because of low
funding for the project from the World Bank, connection levels, Uganda continues to lose a lot
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa of money, which is paid for unused electricity.”
said, as reported by the Daily Monitor. There is now renewed hope of the policy
The policy was suspended in 2020 after going forward, following the approval this March
the withdrawal of the World Bank, the biggest by the World Bank’s board of Uganda’s proposed
funder, citing corruption and deviation from the Electricity Access Scale-up Project (EASP).
agreed procedure. While the Ugandan govern- Designed to boost the government’s ongoing
ment subsequently said it would inject money to energy access initiatives, the EASP is a five-year
make up the difference, the project stalled due to project that aims to deliver about 1.3mn last
its failure to secure resources. mile connections on both the grid and off grid,
Service providers also stopped conducting expand the electricity network, promote clean
free connections, citing unpaid bills that dated cooking solutions and support productive use
back more than five years, according to the Daily of electricity (PUE).
Monitor. The EASP project will target households,
“However, Mr Tayebwa said the govern- businesses, institutions, industrial parks, refugee
ment had secured $600m funding from the settlements and their host communities.
World Bank to facilitate last mile connections
P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 36 08•September•2022
