Uganda to develop 308km powerline to South Sudan

The 400kV Olwiyo-Juba transmission line will pick up power from Olwiyo sub station, which is already operational at 132kV.

A joint technical committee has been established to plan and coordinate the project's development, which follows a December 2015 Memorandum of Understanding to develop transmission and distribution infrastructure to connect the two countries.

In the MoU signed between Uganda and South Sudan, the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Plan (NELSAP) was mandated to coordinate the joint development of the transmission line.

This cooperation is expected to enhance regional productivity and support security along the border towns. The two countries also collaborate in the power distribution segment, where distribution networks have already been constructed in the Uganda-South Sudan border towns of Nimule and Kaya.

The agreement, according to a press statement released by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development will see the prioritisation of the development of the 400kV Olwiyo - Juba power transmission line of 308km (138km on the Ugandan side and 170km in South Sudan) to facilitate power exchange between the two countries. The 400kV Power Substations of Olwiyo and Bibia (near Uganda’s Elegu border post), plus the Juba Substation, will also be expanded.

Uganda’s Energy Ministry Permanent Secretary, Ms Irene Bateebe, signed the PSA on Uganda’s behalf on Tuesday, while Mr Beck Awan Deng, the General Manager of South Sudan Electricity Corporation (SSEC), signed on behalf of his country.

The Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Dr Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, who led the Uganda Government delegation to Juba for the execution said, “Today's signing ceremony marks the beginning of serious cooperation in power trade between Uganda and South Sudan.”

Mr Peter Marcello Jelenge, who represented the South Sudan government said, "We would like to see projects that benefit both the people of Uganda and South Sudan…We will take power from small towns in Uganda, such as Elegu and Oraba.”

Similarly, the people at the borders of Nimule and Kaya in South Sudan shall be supplied with power from Uganda.

A consortium of CESI S.p.A (Italy), ELC Electro Consult S.p.A. Colenco Consulting Ltd (Italy) and Colenco Consulting Ltd (Nigeria) has been procured to undertake the feasibility study, which commenced in March 2023 and is expected to be completed in February 2024.

Uganda and South Sudan have secured funds for feasibility studies from African Development Bank (AfDB) which will also finance the project based on EPC or Public Private Partnership.