The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) has formalized a major step toward expanding electricity access in Uganda by signing two implementation agreements with Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL). These agreements, under the World Bank-financed Electricity Access Scale-Up Project (EASP), assign UEDCL the role of connecting over 900,000 households to the national power grid.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Group and Receive Daily News
The $368 million (Shs1.4 trillion) initiative is part of Uganda’s broader effort to reach universal electricity access by 2030, in line with Vision 2040 and National Development Plan III. Launched in 2023, EASP aims to deliver one million new connections by 2027, focusing on both grid and off-grid solutions.
Speaking at the signing in Kampala, MEMD Permanent Secretary Irene Bateebe said the agreements clarify operational roles under Component One of EASP, which targets rapid household grid connections. UEDCL will be responsible for delivering about 508,000 of these connections within two years—primarily under the Free Connections Policy targeting low-income households.
The second agreement assigns procurement responsibilities to MEMD, enabling UEDCL to focus on implementation. UEDCL Managing Director Paul Mwesigwa confirmed the company’s readiness, noting that logistics, materials, and systems are already in place for mass rollout.
So far, over 155,000 connections have been completed under EASP. The broader program also includes off-grid components, implemented through the Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company (UECCC), to serve remote communities using solar and other technologies.
Beyond improving electricity access, the EASP is expected to support social and economic development—particularly in rural and underserved areas—by powering public institutions, supporting businesses, and enabling greater opportunities for youth and women. With $638 million in total funding from the World Bank and the Ugandan government, the project is a central pillar of Uganda’s national energy strategy.
Also Read: Private Douglas Asio, 29, has been dismissed from the army with disgrace