The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI)/Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program (NELSAP) in collaboration with the African Development Bank and Representatives of Burundi, DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, officially launched the implementation of the Interconnection of Electricity Grids Project of the Nile Equatorial Lakes Countries. The four-year project whose work on ground is expected to start at the end of 2010/beginning of 2011 will create a power exchange market among those five countries with consequence of low cost of power supply, systems’ stability, security of supply and optimization in the use the energy resources.

The implementation of the Interconnection of Electricity Grids of the Nile Equatorial Lakes Countries Project was officially launched yesterday by the Ugandan Minister of State for Energy Hon. Eng. Simon D’ Ujanga at the Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala Uganda. The launching was followed by a two days meeting (8th – 9th September, 2009).  

The objective of the meeting was to bring all countries together and discuss how they can start the implementation of the project on their respective territories. Each country will implement the project portion located on its territory and a Coordination unit will be established at NELSAP to coordinate the implementation of the project at regional level.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is leading in funds mobilization for the project implementation. The project consists of the construction and strengthening of interconnection of electricity networks of five countries, namely, Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda in order to improve transboundary power exchange among those countries.

The Interconnection Electricity networks of the Nile Equatorial Lakes (NEL) Countries is composed of the following components: i) Uganda (Bujagali) - Kenya (Lessos) 220 kV Interconnection line of 256 km, ii) Uganda (Mbarara) - Rwanda (Kigali) 220 KV Interconnection line of 172 km, iii) Rwanda (Kigoma) - Burundi (Rwegura) 110 KV Interconnection line of 103 Km and upgrading the voltage of existing 70 KV line Ruzizi1 Hydropower Plant (DRC) to Bujumbura in 110 KV and from Ruzizi1 to Goma (DRC) in 220 KV with extensions 110 KV Bujumbura - Kiliba (DRC) and 220 KV Kibuye (Rwanda) - Goma - Mukungwa (Rwanda) - Kigali. The project includes also the update of the feasibility study of the Lessos- Olkaria in Kenya. The project covers more than 700 km of new transmission line and 262 km to be upgraded in five countries. This project is in line with the countries policies and the medium term priorities. This NELSAP project will benefit the NEL countries in their rural electrification programs.


Other Interconnections are also being prepared in order to create a regional power network. Tanzania will be connected to its neighbors through the planned interconnection Kenya – Tanzania which is also being prepared by NELSAP, and through the extension Tanzania grid to Northern West part to Rusumo Falls Hydropower Project shared among Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania.  On the other side, Uganda and DR Congo are planning to extend the Uganda electricity network to Beni and Bunia in DR Congo through a transmission line Nkenda – Beni - Bunia. The Ethiopia-Kenya interconnection will allow the region to import power from Ethiopia up to 2000MW.