The Ugandan government has initiated the South Sudan–Uganda Power Interconnection Project (SUPIP), a regional electricity project aimed at linking the two countries' power grids. The project is being financed with UA 91.7 million, approximately $121 million, from the African Development Fund (ADF). This funding, combined with Ugandan government counterpart funding, will support the construction of high-voltage transmission infrastructure. The project aims to facilitate cross-border electricity trade and provide South Sudan with a more reliable and potentially lower-cost electricity supply.
The SUPIP project involves constructing approximately 299 kilometres of 400-kilovolt double-circuit transmission line between Olwiyo in Uganda and Juba/Gumbo in South Sudan. The Ugandan component of the project will cover around 150 kilometres of 400kV transmission line, including about 118 kilometres from Olwiyo Substation to Bibia and a further 32 kilometres from Bibia to the South Sudan border. A new 400/132/33kV Bibia Substation will also be constructed as part of the project.
According to Baba Fataja of the African Development Bank, the bank financed studies that led to the proposed interconnection. The interconnection is intended to establish an electricity trading link between Uganda and South Sudan. Fataja noted that South Sudan faces significant challenges in accessing reliable electricity, relying heavily on expensive diesel-powered generation.
The project is expected to provide South Sudan with an opportunity to access electricity from Uganda, creating an additional market for Uganda's available generation capacity. Fataja stated that with cooperation between the two countries, they can access a cheaper source of energy from Uganda, while Uganda can export excess energy. This project may contribute to wider regional electricity trading as additional countries become interconnected.
The Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL), and the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), held the technical launch of Uganda's component of SUPIP. This milestone follows the fulfilment of conditions required for the ADF financing to become effective and for the first disbursement to Uganda.
The SUPIP project aims to integrate South Sudan into the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP), supporting regional electricity trade and allowing participating countries to share available generation capacity. The project will strengthen Uganda's transmission network in the north and provide South Sudan with access to more reliable and potentially lower-cost electricity.
The project's implementation team has been established, marking a significant step towards the completion of the SUPIP project. With the commencement of the project, Uganda and South Sudan are expected to benefit from increased access to reliable and affordable electricity, promoting economic growth and development in the region.
Key points
- The project will construct a 299-kilometre transmission line between Olwiyo in Uganda and Juba/Gumbo in South Sudan.
- The project aims to facilitate cross-border electricity trade and provide South Sudan with a more reliable and potentially lower-cost electricity supply.
- The project may contribute to wider regional electricity trading as additional countries become interconnected.
