Uganda to build 308km powerline to South Sudan

The project is a result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in December 2015 to build transmission and distribution infrastructure to link the two nations.

The development of the 308km (138km on the Ugandan side and 170km in South Sudan) 400kV Olwiyo-Juba Power Transmission Line would be given priority during the discussions and agreement on June 27 in order to facilitate power exchange between the two nations.

Additionally, the Juba Substation and the Olwiyo and Bibia 400kV Power Substations (located close to Uganda's Elegu Border Post) will be extended.

While Peter Marcello Jelenge represented the South Sudanese government, Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, led a delegation from the Ugandan government to Juba for the execution.

The PSA was signed on behalf of Uganda by Ms. Irene Bateebe, Permanent Secretary of the Energy Ministry, and on behalf of South Sudan by Mr. Beck Awan Deng, General Manager of the South Sudan Electricity Cooperation (SSEC).

“Today's signing ceremony marks the beginning of serious cooperation in power trade between Uganda and South Sudan,” declared Nankabirwa.

She added, “We would like to see initiatives that help the people of South Sudan and Uganda...We'll seize control of Ugandan rural towns like Elegu and Oraba. Similar to this, Uganda will supply power to South Sudanese border communities like Nimule and Kaya.”

Project development

Olwiyo Substation will supply power to the 400kV Olwiyo-Juba Transmission Line, which is already up and running at 132kV.

The Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Plan (NELSAP), which was required to oversee the joint development of the transmission line under the MoU signed between South Sudan and Uganda, was established.

The development of the project is being planned and coordinated by a Joint Technical Committee.

African Development Bank (AfDB) funding for feasibility studies has been acquired for Uganda and South Sudan. Depending on the results of the feasibility study, the AfDB would also finance the project using an EPC or a PPP.

The feasibility study will be carried out by a consortium made up of the Italian companies CESI S.p.A., ELC Electroconsult S.p.A., and Colenco Consulting Ltd. of Nigeria. It will start in March 2023 and end in February 2024.

The two nations also work together in the power distribution sector; distribution networks have already been built in the border towns of Nimule and Kaya between South Sudan and Uganda.

This collaboration will boost security in our border towns and increase regional productivity.