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The government suspended the operations of 54 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on 20 August, including the Africa Institute for Energy Governance (Afiego) which had been campaigning on behalf of people affected by the planned East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (Eacop).

Frontier Energy partner Daniel Schultz told African Energy that construction had been completed at the 5MW Kakaka hydropower plant, with commercial operations expected by end-August or September after Covid-19-related restrictions had caused significant delays.

Construction will be complete at Winch Energy’s solar PV and battery storage mini-grid development on Bunjako Island by end-September, Winch Energy Uganda country manager Alex Wanume told African Energy. The mini-grids, with an aggregate capacity of 0.128MWp, will bring power to 500 homes and businesses. Development of the project was first announced in June 2018.

Construction of Winch Energy’s solar PV and battery storage mini-grid development on Uganda’s Bunjako Island will be completed by the end of September, Winch Energy country manager for Uganda Alex Wanume tells African Energy Live Data.

The combination of solar PV and hydropower offers plenty of potential, but the jury is still out on the economic viability of the emerging floating solar photovoltaics (FPV) technology, writes Martin Burdett.

Jubilee Holdings has increased its stake in the 250MW Bujagali Falls hydropower plant to 40.9% in a $40.7m transaction. The insurance company had already increased its stake in the project to 25% after acquiring some of SN Power’s share last year.

German development bank KfW has said the Kikagati hydropower plant on the Kagera River, on the border between Uganda and Tanzania, is due online by year-end. KfW has provided a $12.3m tariff top-up for the project through its Global Energy Transfer Feed in Tariff programme that launched in Uganda in 2013 AE 388/7.

Uganda Electricity Generation Company (UEGCL) on 30 May announced the commissioning date for the 600MW Karuma hydropower project had been further delayed, this time to 22 June 2022. The delay was attributed by UEGCL to faults in installed electromechanical systems.

The 15MW Nyamagasani I and 5MW Nyamagasani II run-of-river hydropower projects are both due to be commissioned in 2021. The plants received financial commitments of $13m in the third round of the Global Energy Transfer Feed-in Tariffs (GET FiT) programme in November 2014.

Zurich-based ABB is looking to deploy a range of digital tools including unmanned subsea operations, digital wellheads and virtual representations of physical assets such as pipelines (which it calls ‘digital twins’) in Uganda.

The 44.7MW Muzizi hydropower plant is in the final stages of its procurement process, German development bank KfW told African Energy. KfW principal project manager Georg Gruener on 30 April said he expected Uganda Electricity Generation Company Ltd (UEGCL) and the government to reach a final investment decision (FID) by year-end.

The partners of the Lake Albert development project have concluded a shareholders’ agreement for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (Eacop) and a tariff and transportation agreement. An 11 April signing ceremony in Entebbe was attended by Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni and his Tanzanian counterpart Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Cape Town-based developer Red Rocket expects its 140MW Roggeveld Wind plant in the Northern Cape to reach commercial operations by end-year and has a number of other projects ready to close, chief executive Matteo Brambilla told African Energy. The company recently achieved commercial operations at the 4MW Kruisvallei hydroelectric power plant, selected under the renewable energy IPP programme (REIPPP) fourth round.

As African Energy editor Thalia Griffiths leaves to explore new opportunities, colleagues asked for her take on developments after 23 years leading the publication. For all the tragedies like the current Ethiopian conflict, she sees real hope for a better future on a continent where, in many places, governance has improved and previously marginalised populations are becoming empowered to enact positive change.

Total has defended itself against criticism of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project, publishing its social and environmental studies and action plans and pledging transparency. In the latest attack on the project, 263 organisations from 49 countries have banded together to campaign against the planned export pipeline to carry Uganda’s crude oil to the Tanzanian coast.