Utilities of Uganda

Energy

The state-owned Uganda Electricity Transmission Company is responsible for electricity transmission, which is supplied by the private company Electricity Generation Co (UEGCL) – the owner of the two major hydropower plants at Valubaale (180 MW) and Kiira (200 MW). Smaller hydropower plants supply about 17 MW. The Electricity Regulatory Authority is the independent body that oversees and regulates the electricity sector in Uganda. The government has a policy to have hydroelectricity accessible by all Ugandans by 2025. There are ongoing plans to develop a 200 MW hydropower project in the Karuma, which is progressing as a public–private partnership.

Oil has been discovered in the basin of Lake Albert in the west of the country. By September 2012 estimated reserves of 3.5 billion barrels had been reported, confirming that Uganda was to become a significant oil-exporter in the 2010s.

Water

The National Water and Sewerage Corporation is responsible for dispensing safe water to the country’s urban areas. The National Water Policy, adopted in 1999, provides the overall policy framework for the water sector. Uganda is a major recipient of foreign aid and international NGO assistance in this sector.

Telecoms

The Uganda Communications Act 1997 was passed in order to open the telecoms sector up to private investment. Prior to this, poor infrastructure held back sector-wide development and investment. Following the liberalisation of the telecoms sector, private company Mobile Telephone Networks (MTN) and the state-owned Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL) became the national telecoms operators. Private company Zain Uganda is a leading provider of mobile phone services. The main internet service providers are MTN, UTL, Infocom, Africa Online and Datanet.