On 14^th December 2021, the Board and Management of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) inspected the Charcoal to Power pilot project at the Mwana-Mugimu Nutritional Clinic in Mulago National Referral Hospital.

The Charcoal to Power project supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is an initiative of the Authority aimed at incentivizing electricity consumers, particularly those involved in heavy cooking, to cook using electricity instead of charcoal or firewood. The initiative also aims to save the environment by eliminating tree cutting for firewood and charcoal.

While inspecting the project, the ERA Board Chairperson, Dr. Sarah Wasagali Kanaabi, who led a team of Authority Members and the ERA Management, noted that the project would be a benchmark for all other institutions cooking using firewood and charcoal to convert to the use of clean energy.

Dr. Wasagali further noted that a Lower Tariff to support the project had been considered by the Authority ahead of the launch and roll-out of the project. She urged institutions involved in heavy cooking to embrace the project, noting that it would save a lot of time and money spent on cooking using biomass. It would also save the environment in the form of a reduction in the cutting of trees for firewood and charcoal.

The Head of the Mwana-Mugimu Nutritional Clinic, Dr. Esther Babireke, applauded the Authority and the UNDP for the project, noting that it would go a long way in eliminating the difficulties the Clinic has been going through in terms of preparing meals for the patients. The difficulties include delayed meals due to the use of firewood and respiratory diseases, especially in people working in the kitchen.  Dr. Babireke further requested the Authority to support with equipping the clinic kitchen in terms of cooking saucepans. The Authority pledged to offer its support to this cause.