On Uganda’s energy sector transformation

What the report says

The Independent Uganda published an analysis on Uganda’s energy sector transformation, framing electricity and fuel supply as central to economic activity and wider human development. The piece says the government is pursuing an ambitious goal of reaching 52 GW of total power capacity by 2040, and uses that target to trace how the sector has shifted from state control and shortages toward a more liberalised and expanding system.

The article outlines key historical milestones, beginning with the creation of the Uganda Electricity Board in 1948 and the commissioning of Nalubaale hydropower station in 1954, which helped establish the national grid. It then describes the decline of the 1970s and 1980s, when underinvestment, aging infrastructure and weak maintenance contributed to shortages. In the 1990s and 2000s, the sector was restructured under privatisation and regulatory reforms, including the Electricity Act of 1999, the creation of the Electricity Regulatory Authority in 2000, and the introduction of policies meant to attract private participation and widen access.

The report also highlights major additions to generation capacity in the 2010s and 2020s, including Bujagali, Isimba, Karuma and the Soroti solar plant. It notes that Karuma’s full commercial operation in 2024 pushed Uganda’s installed capacity above 2,000 MW, while Umeme’s distribution concession ended in 2025 and operations returned to UEDCL.

Overall, the article suggests that Uganda’s energy policy is now focused on reliability, affordability, industrial growth and regional power trade. It also points to newer debates around bulk power sales, transmission participation and longer-term planning, including oil-sector development and possible nuclear energy integration.