Chinese-built power plants in Uganda to reduce tariff rate by 17.5 pct

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni (R, back) and Zheng Zhuqiang (L, back), the Chinese ambassador to Uganda, unveil a milestone during an inauguration ceremony in Kayunga, Uganda, March 21, 2019. Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni on Thursday inaugurated the Chinese-built Isimba Hydropower Plant on the Victoria Nile in the central part of the African country.

The Ugandan government said here Wednesday that Chinese-constructed Isimba and Karuma hydro power plants will reduce the generation tariff in the east African country by 17.45 percent.

Once the two power plants are commissioned and the power fully utilized, the generation tariff will reduce from the current 6.47 U.S. cents/kWh to 5.34 cents/kWh, said a statement of Uganda's ministry of energy and mineral development.

The 183MW Isimba Hydro Power Plant was commissioned in March while the 600MW Karuma Hydro Power Plant is under construction.
Uganda currently has a total installed generation capacity of 1,202MW, according to the ministry figures.