Uganda Power Distributor - Umeme relaxes power rations

Tuesday July 12, 2011

WORKS on the maintenance of the national electricity distribution network has been suspended to reduce power rationing, Umeme said yesterday.

“In order to limit the outages to the emergency loadshedding, Umeme has halted all maintenance works,” said Sam Zimbe, the firm’s general manager.

He said the suspension would continue until the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL) sorts out the generation shortfall.

The announcement comes barely a week after two thermal electricity producers last week switched off their generators, causing an acute power scarcity and resumption of the daily 12- hour load-shedding.

Aggreko and Electromaxx shut down the generators after the Government failed to pay arrears, according Eriasi Kiyemba, the managing director of the transimission body.

Aggreko and Electromaxx shut down their generators after the Government failed to pay them about sh300b, causing an acute power shortage and resumption of the daily 12- hour load-shedding.

According Muloni, the Government owes the thermal power companies close to sh300b in arrears up to June 2011.

The two companies generate 70 mega-watts.

Zimbe, said the suspension of maintenance works would factor in urgently required work as a result of unplanned interruptions like faults.

He said this is intended to limit outages to the emergency load-shedding schedules and minimising the outage inconveniences.

By Ibrahim Kasita: The New Vision Newspaper