Wrtitten by Agather Atuhaire (@aagather)
In March 2012, an insider from Bujagali Hydro Power Plant told me that Bujagali Energy Limited-BEL had imported fake, second-hand turbines from China. My source was one of the constructors, and he said that the turbines did not have the capacity to produce 50MW each.
I set out to establish the authenticity of the claims. Kevin Kariuki, the manager of BEL, laughed out loud and told me how the claims were pathetic. What should have been an interview turned into a lecture to me, on how turbines are manufactured and transported from one country to another.
He said that the turbines they had used were manufactured by Alstom a renowned French company.
Still, this story was published.
Due to my digging around for facts on that issue, the ministry of energy, particularly Permanent Secretary Kabagambe Kaliisa, had branded me and the media house I then worked for (The Independent), prophets of doom.
Earlier in 2011, former Minister of Energy Hilary Onek, had told a committee of parliament that Bujagali would never produce 250MW- which is its installed capacity. Onek said that the highest amount of energy Bujagali could produce, after all its five units were completed, would be 170MW. He cautioned Ugandans against having high hopes in Bujagali.
Everyone condemned him and there was a plot to challenge his academic credentials with fellow ministers and top NRM officials, saying he did not study hydrology engineering like he claims.
Onek is reported to have said the same thing about Kiira dam, that it would not produce 180MW. That time too, he was ignored. Kiira dam now produces about 70MW and has never produced more than 100MW.
When the country started experiencing load shedding mid this year, many thought it strange. The completion of Bujagali had increased power supply to 650MW and offset the 150 power deficit that we had hitherto. In his last two State-Of-The-Nation addresses (2012 and 2013), President Yoweri Museveni told Ugandans that there would be no more load shedding for at least the next two years.
Kabale Municipality Andrew Aja Baryayanga told fellow MPs on the Natural Resources Committee in the presence of Energy Minister Irene Muloni that sources from Bujagali had told him that the dam was not producing even up to 180MW.
Muloni dismissed the claims and said Umeme should answer for the power outages. Her deputy, Simon D’Ujanga also said, “We produce enough power to meet our demand at least for the next two years.” Umeme attributed load shedding to maintenance works, but it was still inconceivable that maintenance works are carried out during night hours as some places experienced load shedding at night.
On Monday December 10th, the New Vision published a story saying that two of the turbines have not been functioning since August 2013. I seem to be among the few people that saw this coming.
