The Kikagati Hydropower Plant is a 14 MW run-of-river hydropower project located along the Kagera River in South-Western Uganda on the Tanzania-Uganda border.
The dam is 8.5 m high and 300 m long, forming a reservoir on 4 km2 of Tanzanian territory and the electricity produced by the hydroelectric plant is evacuated via a 33 kV line.
The Plant which is a result of ground-breaking co-operation [between the Ugandan and Tanzanian government with power being provided to both countries] was recently commissioned by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the East African Community Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga.
Kadaga notes that Ugandans residing in Isingiro District need to take advantage of the power plant and use the power to add value to the products they produce such as milk to fetch more income.
“Uganda has enough electricity that can be utilized for industrialization hence social-economic transformation,” she added.
The company’s executive director, Emilio Cattaneo says “The Kikagati hydropower station is strengthening the economic development foundations of Uganda and Tanzania and it’s also providing good jobs for nationals.”
While commissioning the Plant, the State Minister for Energy, Hon. Sidronius Okaasai Opolot commended the Developer, Kikagati Power Company Limited (KPCL), and urged the company to sustain the socio-economic interventions benefiting the community put in place as a result of the construction of the Plant. The Minister pledged on behalf of the Government to extend power to all the communities of isingiro District.
ERA’s Director for Corporate and Consumer Affairs, Mr. Julius Wandera who represented the Chief Executive Officer of the Electricity Regulatory Authority in his remarks expressed gratitude to the various stakeholders who were instrumental in the realization of the Kikagati Hydro Power Project, including the Project Developer, Development Partners, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, the Isingiro District Local Government and UETCL.
He thanked Berkeley Energy, the Funder for the good work done and commended the company for its resilience amidst the challenges faced; most especially the project setback due to covid-19.
The Hon. Woman Member of Parliament for Isingiro District, Hon. Clare Mugumya emphasized the need to extend power to all communities of Isingiro, noting that such a move will spur economic development in Isingiro.
ABOUT THE PLANT
The 14 MW Kikagati Hydropower Plant was developed by Kikagati Power Company Limited (KPCL) and will sell its power to the National Grid.
Consumers will pay US Cents 8.5 per kilowatt hour for the electricity generated.
The plant was developed under the Global Energy Transfer for Feed-in Tariff (GET FiT) Program, a dedicated support scheme for Renewable Energy Projects managed by the Germany Development Bank – KfW, in partnership with the Electricity Regulatory Authority; and funded by Berkeley Energy.
The project adds up to 115 GWh of electricity per year to the power grids of both countries.