KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda’s state-owned electricity distributor is stepping up investment in Greater Kampala as rapid urban growth and rising electricity demand put increasing pressure on the distribution network.
The Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) says it is upgrading transformers, splitting overloaded distribution lines and expanding network capacity in and around Kampala to improve reliability for growing communities.
The interventions were outlined during a meeting with more than 100 local leaders in Kira Municipality, where the distributor began a wider engagement programme aimed at addressing electricity reliability and service delivery.
Isaac Katewanga, UEDCL’s acting chief commercial and operations services officer, said the meetings were intended to explain the causes of supply interruptions, provide updates on ongoing projects and hear concerns from communities.
“We are engaging with local leaders to explain the causes of the current supply interruptions, provide information on ongoing projects, listen to their concerns and explore opportunities for collaboration,” Katewanga said.
The engagement comes as UEDCL confronts network constraints in several rapidly developing parts of Greater Kampala.
The company’s latest annual report identifies overloaded substations and feeders, maintenance requirements and the condition of parts of the distribution network among the operational challenges facing the utility.
UEDCL currently manages more than 92,000km of distribution lines, more than 26,500 transformers and more than 80 substations across Uganda.
Kira and surrounding areas targeted for upgrades
One of the major interventions affecting Greater Kampala is the planned upgrade of the transformer at Kawanda substation.
UEDCL says the work is intended to ease capacity constraints affecting customers in areas including Naalya and Kyaliwajala, with completion expected by the end of 2026.
The company is also splitting the Seeta and Bukerere distribution line in an effort to reduce congestion, improve voltage stability and allow faults to be isolated and power restored more quickly.
In other heavily loaded areas, UEDCL says it is installing additional transformers, replacing overstretched units with higher-capacity equipment and repairing or replacing damaged poles and conductors.
The company says more than 80,000 customers are expected to benefit from the interventions.
The areas covered include Kira, Namugongo, Kyaliwajala, Bulindo, Kitukutwe, Nsasa, Nabusugwe, Naalya, Kasangati, Najjera, Kitikifumba, Nakwero, Kijabijjo, Bukerere and Sonde, among other surrounding communities.
UEDCL’s current projects list separately includes transformer injections targeting hundreds of overloaded and overstretched distribution transformers, as well as wider substation and feeder upgrades in the Central region.
Greater Kampala capacity targeted for expansion
The pressure in Kira reflects a broader challenge facing Uganda’s electricity system as cities and towns expand.
Connecting more households and businesses to the grid is only part of the challenge. The distribution network must also have enough capacity to carry electricity to areas where demand is rising.
UEDCL says it is working with the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) on plans to increase transmission capacity serving Greater Kampala from 80 megawatts to 200MW.
Longer-term projects include new substations at Magigye, Kigo and Nakasero, as well as upgrades at Kireka, Busunju, Kakiri, Mubende, Kanyantogoro, Jinja Industrial, Kabaale and Mbale.
Power lines in Mityana, Masaka, Kasese and Bushenyi are also being refurbished.
UEDCL says the combined projects could improve supply reliability by 98 percent. The company has not specified the baseline used to calculate that projection or provided a single completion date for all the projects.
The utility’s public outage system continues to show both planned and unplanned interruptions across Uganda, illustrating the operational challenge it is trying to address.
Vandalism adds pressure to the network
UEDCL says infrastructure capacity is not the only problem contributing to interruptions.
The company has raised concerns over vandalism of electricity infrastructure, saying damage to poles, conductors and other equipment can leave communities without power and disrupt essential services.
Samson Tondo, UEDCL’s head of engineering services for the Central region, urged residents and local leaders to report suspicious activity around electricity installations.
Police representatives at the Kira meeting also pledged to work with UEDCL to identify and prosecute people suspected of vandalising electricity infrastructure.
ASP Justus Tashobya, the Kampala East regional police commander, said police would continue supporting efforts to protect the distribution network.
UEDCL warns customers about connection fraud
The distributor also used the meeting to warn residents about fraudsters who allegedly target customers seeking new electricity connections.
Jessica Zziwa, UEDCL’s head of commercial and operations services for the Central region, urged customers to make payments only through official channels.
“We encourage customers to pay for new connections directly to UEDCL through our accredited partner banks and mobile payment platforms. Do not pay cash to anyone promising to speed up your connection,” Zziwa said.
She urged anyone who encounters suspected fraud to report it to UEDCL or the nearest police station.
Communities urged to protect infrastructure
Local leaders welcomed the engagement, saying residents should be involved in efforts to improve electricity services and protect infrastructure.
Moses Haumba, mayor of Namugongo Division, said closer cooperation between UEDCL, local authorities and communities would help address problems affecting service delivery.
Also Read: MPs question UEDCL over electricity connection delays
“This is a big step towards strengthening the relationship between UEDCL, local leaders and our communities,” Haumba said.
For residents of Kira and other fast-growing areas around Kampala, the immediate concern remains whether the planned upgrades will translate into fewer and shorter power interruptions.
UEDCL says the combination of transformer upgrades, feeder splitting, new substations and increased transmission capacity is intended to bring the electricity network closer to the demands of the communities it now serves.
