Japan Boosts Energy Sector in Uganda

By Eddyson Lugangwa Posted 07 August 2006 @ 10:15 pm EET     Print     Reprint     E-Mail     Comments

Kampala (IBTimes.com) - The Japanese government is to spend about $500,000 to support micro- hydro generation projects for rural electrification in the country. This fallows a one-week feasibility study on different areas like Sezibwa Falls in Mukono, Kapchorwa, Mbale and Awulu Falls in West Nile by the Japanese delegation.

The delegation included Ryosaku Sudo, the Tanaka Hydraulic Machinery Works Company Limited managing director, Satoshi Minagaki, amanager at the same company and Koichi Hagimara, an industrial development officer at the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

Hagimara said at a dinner organised by Rural Electrification Agency (REA) Secretariat at Fair Cuts Restaurant in Kampala last week that the delegation come to identify a pilot site for a micro- hydro and a partner with whom to develop the projects.

"We are very excited because we achieved our objectives in one day. We have Sezibwa Falls in Mukono," said Hagimara. He said Sezibwa Falls would become the pilot project for the five other micro-hydros to be developed by the Tamaka Company, funded by UNIDO under the Grassroots Programme.