The ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has cost approximately six million lives since 1996, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in world history according to Foreign Policy Research Institute.
Therefore there is a need to kick-start development in the area through different projects and the Uganda-DRC power interconnection is one of those that will fuel development through power trade.
This 400kV, 352-kilometre power interconnection runs from Nkenda in Uganda to Benni-Bunia-Butembo in D.R Congo.
According to the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program (NELSAP-CU) Regional Power Program Officer for Power and Trade Eng. Jacob Manyuon Deng, when this line reaches the DRC side, it steps down to 220kv.
However, three sub-stations will be constructed on the DRC side. “Of course, the eastern side of DRC is not developed so they need power and what they are using now is not enough. Some of the small hydropower plants that are there and some of the isolated grids use solar which is not enough to kick start the development,” Eng. Jacob Manyuon Deng reveals
Benefits of Uganda-DRC power interconnection
He adds that the eastern DRC is going to be beneficial on the power that will be imported from Uganda. “On the side of Uganda, it is in Nkenda where it is a step-down, it is already actually a 132kv substation to be upgraded to 400kv because there are industries in Kasese district. In that area power will be consumed and in a very huge capacity,” he assures
On the other side, DRC’s economic development will be realized and in the eastern DRC the tariff rates will improve because Uganda has a very good potential for hydro in that case it is cheaper. “So when they trade with Uganda, the tariff rates will go down and the development in that area will go up,” the Regional Power Program Officer says
Project financing and implementation
The Governments of D.R Congo and Uganda under the auspices of NELSAP-CU in 2013 carried out studies for the interconnection of the electric grids of D.R Congo and Uganda where the study was funded by the Royal Norwegian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Norwegian Embassy in Kampala.
The study was recommended by the NELSAP Strategic Sectoral, Social and Environmental Assessment (SSEA) of Power Development options in the NEL Region 2007.
It was to build on the Interconnection of the NEL countries project that seeks to interconnect the power grids of DR Congo (Eastern part), Burundi, Kenya Rwanda, and Uganda as well as Kenya-Tanzania-Zambia (ZTK) transmission that will link the Eastern African Power Pool with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
However, NELSAP completed the Feasibility of the Uganda-DRC power interconnection in June 2024 and a final report is being finalized for sharing with the countries and Development Partners. This feasibility was done with funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the NEPAD -IPPF as well as from Uganda.
“The feasibility studies are completed but we are working on the translation of the documents to French which is a requirement of the contract,” he informs
With feasibility concluded, the project has moved towards resource mobilization for actual construction. The Regional Power Program Officer also says that there are difficulties with the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) on the eastern side of DRC which is not yet completed. “We are now pushing and working on the RAP studies and when they are completed the construction will commence,” he informs
As funding for full project development was not forthcoming, presently several agencies have shown great interest in financing this project. Due to a time lapse of close to 9 years, and considering the developments that have taken place in the region since 2013, the two governments found it necessary to validate the studies by conducting updated studies.
As a precursor to this updated feasibility, NELSAP facilitated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministers in charge of Energy affairs of D.R Congo and Uganda in August 2017 in Kinshasa for this transmission line and future energy projects.
Through the MoU, the countries mandated NELSAP-CU to mobilize funds and coordinate the physical implementation of the interconnection on behalf of the countries and facilitate other future cross-border investments in the energy sector.
“Those who are interested are the African Development Bank and the French Development Agency (FDA). For the Ugandan side, the FDA is interested in financing the construction of the line. However, funds are not secured yet on the DRC side but on the Ugandan side there is a loan that is already secured and the financial agreements are not yet signed,” Eng. Jacob Manyuon Deng explains
“With the power infrastructure projects, this benefits the local community where these projects are being constructed.”
