KIRYANDONGO: Karuma hydropower project on River Nile is now set to have three of the six units commissioned before the end of this year (2022).
According to the project schedule, the first unit is expected to be commissioned in October, while the other two will be commissioned in November and December. Each unit will generate 100MW.
The commissioning of the three units will see another 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity added to the national grid.
Funded largely by a loan from the Export-Import Bank of China, the $1.7billion (about sh6trillion) project kicked off in 2013. It was initially expected to be completed in five years, with a total power generation capacity of 600MW.
With the addition of 600MW from the Karuma dam, Uganda will be generating a total of about 2000MW come next year. The project is implemented by Sino Hydro Corporation Limited, with the close supervision of the Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL). The commissioning of the power project has since 2018 been extended several times, for various reasons.
The Karuma hydropower project deputy project manager from UEGCL, Eng. Paul Tumwine said all the installations are now done and they have started carrying out dry tests. Tumwine said the Kawanda-Karuma and Kawanda-Olwiyo transmission lines had already been re-energized, which is why Zhang Lizhong and Oliver Wonekha inspected Karuma dam on Sunday. The plant will add 600MW to the national grid significant to the project.
“We have reached a point of doing dry tests. This means installation works are complete and, therefore, we hope to meet the targets set in our schedule,” he added.
Tumwine said the first unit was expected to be commissioned in October and other two in November and December this year.
He revealed this on Sunday during a visit of the site by the Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, Zhang Lizhong and Uganda’s Ambassador to China, Oliver Wonekha.
The two diplomats inspected the various installations at the plant and were briefed about the developments and progress of the project, as well as the implementation plan. Tumwine said once the three units are commissioned, Uganda will have 300MW added to the national grid by the end of this year.
The remaining three units are expected to be commissioned around January/February, March and April, 2023; also generating 300MW. “All the 600MW are expected on schedule to be accomplished either late March or early April 2023. This makes a total of 600MW added to the national grid,” he said. According to the implementation plan, the plant is expected to be handed over in July 2023 after all the six units have been fully tested and commissioned.
“As far as ensuring the plant is safe for the personnel, and safe to meet the grid code of the country; dry tests are very important,” Tumwine said. The dry test is a requirement before commissioning power plants to ensure their longevity. “At this stage, we are actualising electricity production from this power plant. The project is now at 990/o and left with only 1%,” Tumwine said. He added that the remaining 1% is aimed at ensuring that the equipment installed and designed are tested and passed. “The key word is passed. There will be regular tests undertaken on this equipment and once that is passed, that 1% comes through,” he said.
Tumwine added that the plant is left with activities towards achieving its functionality.
Tumwine said the electricity tariff is expected to reduce after the completion of the project. “Electricity from the Karuma power dam will be sold at around sh160 per unit, which is less than that of Bujagali. This cost will last for 15 years and it will be lowered to about 1% if the loan is cleared,” he noted.
The project commercial manager, Bin Kouzhi, said the work was largely interrupted and delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected them in relation to logistics and materials, among other challenges.
However, he said the challenges have since been resolved We got support from the head office, from China and the Government.
“We have 25 engineers working day and night to ensure we are on schedule. We are confident that the first three units will be commissioned on schedule,” he said.
Wonekha recognised the importance of the project towards social-economic growth. “It is a big testimony of our co-operation and China’s support. Whenever the power goes off, everybody remembers the President’s words that soon we will have excess power to supply to the region,” Wonekha said. Lizhong said a lot of progress has been made.
“I am anxious to see the completion of this flagship project between China and Uganda. We want to see the real impact on the social-economic development of Uganda.”
The current peak tariff stands at Shs747.5 kilowatt per hour for domestic consumers.