Energy in Uganda - Hydroelectricity

Hydroelectricity

Much of the White Nile winds its way through the country, though little of the hydroelectric potential of the country is harnessed. The poor maintenance during the politically unstable 1980s further resulted in a drop in production at the Owen Falls Dam (now Nalubaale Power Station), at the mouth of the White Nile, from 635.5 million kilowatt-hours in 1986 to 609.9 million kilowatt-hours in 1987, with six of ten generators broken by the end of 1988. A 200 MW extension to Nalubaale in 2000 raised total production to 380 MW, cementing Uganda's status as the major energy producer in East Africa.

The planned $550 million dam at Bujagali Falls has been plagued with problems. It has been heavily criticized for being unnecessarily destructive to the environment and forcing the displacement of a large number of residents. The World Bank suspended its support for the project in 2002, followed by the pullout the following year of US-based contractor AES. A downstream sluice dam at Karuma Falls is less controversial but repercussions from the Bujagali troubles have slowed progress towards actual construction.