I wish to formally respond to a concern raised by Ms. Olive Atuhaire in her article titled “Improve Electricity Consumption before Building More Power Dams”, published in the recent edition of the Sunday Monitor.
In the article, Ms. Atuhaire advocates for prioritizing increased electricity consumption and enhanced affordability before committing to further investments in power generation infrastructure. She raises valid concerns about high connection costs, low uptake, and the urgent need to expand access, issues that remain central to Uganda’s energy transition. However, solving these challenges cannot come at the expense of investment in generation capacity.
Access, affordability, and reliable supply are deeply interdependent, and Uganda’s long-term development depends on balancing these priorities rather than choosing between them.
Over the past decade, Uganda’s electricity sector has undergone significant transformation. The country’s installed generation capacity has more than doubled, from approximately 850 megawatts in 2014 to over 2,052 megawatts in 2025. This expansion has helped Uganda overcome years of chronic power shortages and positioned the country for industrial take-off, regional power trade, and broader socio-economic transformation.
Yet, interpreting this progress as a reason to delay new generation investments is risky. Large-scale energy projects have long lead times, often stretching over a decade from planning to commissioning. The 600 MW Karuma Hydropower Project, for example, took nearly 12 years to come online. If Uganda waits until demand exceeds supply before acting, the country risks sliding back into power deficits that could stifle industrialization, service delivery, and competitiveness.
Electricity demand is rising rapidly and shows no signs of slowing down. Uganda’s consumption is growing at an estimated annual rate of between 8 and 12 percent, driven by population growth, rapid urbanization, industrialization, digital infrastructure expansion, and the emergence of e-mobility technologies.
Current demand from commercial activities, medium to large industrial operations, and public infrastructure already accounts for nearly 697 megawatts. Projections indicate that by 2035, total national demand could exceed 9,000 megawatts, a more than tenfold increase from current levels. Planning today for tomorrow’s economy is therefore not optional; it is an urgent necessity if Uganda is to maintain its growth trajectory and competitiveness.
While investments in new generation are essential, concerns about affordability and access remain valid and must be addressed with equal urgency. Uganda’s electricity access rate remains low, and high connection costs continue to limit uptake among households and small businesses.
However, government initiatives such as the Electricity Access Scale-Up Project (EASP), which aims to freely connect more than 900,000 new customers, and policies to reduce electricity tariffs, and leverage regional power trade to achieve universal access by 2040, are expected to make electricity more affordable and inclusive.
In this context, generation and access are not competing priorities but mutually reinforcing goals. Sufficient generation capacity supports tariff stability and enables more Ugandans to connect at reasonable costs, while expanded access and increased consumption create the demand necessary to sustain investment in new power projects.
Uganda’s Vision 2040, National Development Plan, and Energy Transition Plan all place energy infrastructure at the heart of the country’s economic transformation. The government’s target of achieving 52,000 megawatts of installed capacity by 2040, through a diversified energy mix of hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal, and nuclear, reflects the scale of anticipated demand.
Fast-tracking projects such as Ayago (840 MW), Kiba (295 MW), and the 1,000 MW Buyende Nuclear Project is therefore not speculative overreach; it is a strategic investment in securing Uganda’s energy sovereignty, industrial competitiveness, and resilience in the face of future challenges.
Uganda cannot afford to take a reactive approach to energy planning. Waiting for shortages before investing would expose the country to unnecessary risks and lost economic opportunities. The path forward lies in a balanced strategy, one that accelerates connections and reduces costs while sustaining investments in generation to meet future demand. Affordable, reliable, and sufficient power is the foundation of modern economies and a prerequisite for inclusive, sustainable development.
We do not build dams and power plants solely for today’s consumption; we build them to power tomorrow’s economy. Generation and access are two sides of the same coin, and for Uganda’s future, access and generation must proceed with equal urgency.
By J. Julius Wandera
Director Corporate & Consumer Affairs