A UEDCL sub station
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) has intensified efforts to modernize the country’s electricity distribution network through a series of transformer injection and upgrade projects aimed at improving supply reliability, replacing aging infrastructure, and meeting rapidly growing demand for power.
Uganda’s electricity peak demand, which is approximatelly 1,100MW has recently grown to over 2,050 MW (bolstered by major facilities like the Karuma Hydropower Plant). The country currently maintains a comfortable power surplus of between 300 to 1,000 MW, depending on seasonal water flows and grid distribution.
The projects form part of UEDCL’s broader nationwide strategy to strengthen the distribution network and support Uganda’s National Energy Transition Plan, while also addressing a significant backlog of electricity connections under the government’s rural and urban electrification programs.
According to UEDCL officials, the upgrades are designed to tackle long-standing challenges such as transformer overloads, low voltage, technical power losses, and inadequate infrastructure inherited from previous operators.
“Our focus is on building a resilient distribution network that can support growing domestic consumption, commercial activity and industrial expansion,” officials noted during the commissioning of the projects.
Among the key developments in Wakiso is the installation of two new transformers in Galozi Zone, Matugga, with capacities of 100kVA and 50kVA. The utility has also upgraded an overloaded 25kVA transformer in Matugga Market (Kirowa) to 50kVA and relocated another transformer to a more suitable load center to improve distribution efficiency.
Additional investments include the installation of a 50kVA transformer in Wabitembe along the Matugga-Bombo corridor, another 50kVA unit in Kabonge, and two transformers rated at 25kVA and 33kVA in Mulama Kitebere Village.
The interventions are expected to significantly improve power quality, reduce voltage fluctuations, and minimize outages that have affected households, businesses, and institutions in the area.
The Wakiso projects mirror similar initiatives being undertaken across the country as UEDCL embarks on an ambitious modernization program. The company is replacing hundreds of faulty and obsolete transformers in regions including Kampala, Masaka, and Kabale, while upgrading substations to accommodate increasing demand.
Major substation enhancement projects, including capacity expansion at Kampala South and Kakiri substations, are intended to address suppressed demand and create room for thousands of new domestic and commercial electricity connections.
UEDCL is also investing in smart grid technologies and network optimization measures aimed at reducing technical losses and improving operational efficiency. The utility estimates that these interventions will save millions of shillings while enhancing service delivery.
Beyond improving reliability, the upgraded infrastructure is expected to support Uganda’s broader electrification agenda by facilitating free electricity connections and extending access to previously underserved communities.
Local leaders and residents have welcomed the developments, expressing optimism that improved electricity supply will attract investment, boost productivity, create jobs, and enhance social services.
As demand for electricity continues to rise, UEDCL’s modernization drive is increasingly becoming a critical pillar in ensuring that Uganda’s power distribution network can meet the needs of a growing economy while delivering reliable and affordable electricity to consumers across the country.
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