Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) Managing Director Joselynne Rwakakooko Rwabwogo has explained the factors behind the persistent power outages affecting different parts of the country, pointing to ageing infrastructure, rising electricity demand and years of insufficient investment.
Rwabwogo said the company continues to receive concerns from business owners, manufacturers and households affected by frequent interruptions, with many customers demanding to know why electricity keeps going off and what UEDCL is doing to address the problem.
She acknowledged that the concerns are justified, noting that reliable electricity is essential for homes, businesses and the country’s economic activities.
According to her, power interruptions cause more than inconvenience, as they disrupt business operations, affect production and interfere with people’s daily lives.
She said UEDCL understands that customers expect a reliable electricity supply and timely restoration whenever faults occur.
Rising electricity demand puts pressure on the network
Rwabwogo explained that Uganda’s electricity customer base has expanded significantly in recent years, increasing from approximately 1.64 million customers in 2021 to 2.78 million currently, representing growth of nearly 70 per cent over five years.
However, she noted that investment in distribution infrastructure has not matched the pace of this expansion.
She compared the situation to a road designed to handle a particular volume of traffic, explaining that congestion becomes inevitable when the number of vehicles increases without expanding the road.
The electricity distribution network, she said, is facing a similar challenge as more customers depend on infrastructure that was designed to serve lower levels of demand.
Rwabwogo revealed that about 40 per cent of switching equipment in UEDCL substations has been in operation for more than 25 years, with some equipment so old that replacement parts are no longer available.
At the same time, electricity demand has increased by approximately 60 per cent in four years, placing additional pressure on the distribution system.
She cited Mutundwe Substation, which is operating at 130 per cent of its rated capacity, and Busunju Substation, operating at 124 per cent.
Such overloading makes equipment more vulnerable to faults and limits the company’s ability to redirect electricity when parts of the network experience problems.
As a result, interruptions that could otherwise affect a small number of customers may leave entire areas without power for several hours.
Rwabwogo said the challenges have accumulated over several years of inadequate investment and require both long-term infrastructure improvements and better management of existing outages.
Measures to reduce power interruptions
The UEDCL managing director said the company’s immediate focus is on reducing the frequency of outages and restoring electricity more quickly when faults occur.
One of the key interventions involves replacing faulty distribution transformers, which can leave entire neighbourhoods without electricity when they fail.
In the year leading up to July 2026, UEDCL replaced 1,110 distribution transformers, surpassing its target.
The company has also increased the availability of transformer materials in its stores from 44 per cent to 50 per cent, a move intended to reduce delays when replacements are required.
Rwabwogo said UEDCL is also carrying out targeted improvements in areas that have experienced repeated interruptions.
In Entebbe, sections of overloaded electricity lines have been upgraded, while an alternative supply route has been introduced in Mukono to improve voltage stability.
In Mubende, network adjustments reportedly reduced recorded outages from 12 in one month to three in the following month. A new transformer has also been installed to increase the area’s electricity supply capacity.
Along the Bombo corridor, the commissioning of Kasana Substation has provided an additional source of electricity, helping reduce pressure on existing infrastructure.
Major projects planned to strengthen electricity supply
Rwabwogo said some of the challenges require substantial investment and infrastructure upgrades that will take time to complete.
At Mutundwe Substation, planned improvements are expected to reduce loading from 130 per cent to approximately 65 per cent.
The new Maya Substation has also been completed, with work ongoing to connect it to the surrounding distribution network.
She emphasised that a reliable electricity supply is particularly important for industrial development and the growth of businesses across the country.
In western Uganda, work is underway to integrate Mirama Hills Substation into the distribution network. The project is expected to improve electricity supply to more than 30,000 households and 700 commercial customers in Isingiro, Ntungamo, Rukungiri and parts of Rwampara districts.
The expected beneficiaries include an iron-processing factory in Ntungamo that requires approximately 7 megawatts of electricity.
According to Rwabwogo, UEDCL is working with the government and other electricity sector partners to speed up the implementation of these projects.
She acknowledged, however, that some infrastructure improvements will take longer to deliver.
UEDCL moves to improve operations and reduce electricity losses
Beyond expanding infrastructure, Rwabwogo said the company is working to improve its internal operations and customer service.
The measures include strengthening fault detection, deploying technical teams more efficiently and reducing the time taken to respond to electricity interruptions.
She added that UEDCL also needs to communicate more proactively with customers during outages instead of leaving them to repeatedly seek updates.
The company is also addressing electricity distribution losses, which have declined from 18.5 per cent at the time of transition to approximately 17.9 per cent.
To strengthen enforcement and accountability, UEDCL has reassigned 372 field staff to carry out inspections, tackle illegal connections and improve monitoring of the distribution network.
Rwabwogo said these operational changes are important because a more efficient company is better positioned to maintain infrastructure and provide reliable services to customers.
‘Customers want electricity restored, not explanations’
Despite the measures underway, the managing director acknowledged that technical explanations about ageing infrastructure and investment challenges may offer little comfort to people who spend hours without electricity.
She noted that customers ultimately want their power restored quickly and want assurances that similar interruptions will not continue occurring.
Rwabwogo said UEDCL must therefore be judged not only by its ability to explain the challenges but also by its progress in resolving them, communicating transparently and delivering improvements that customers can experience.
She maintained that Uganda’s growing electricity demand reflects the country’s development, but stressed that the distribution network and the company responsible for managing it must expand and improve to keep pace.
UEDCL’s stated priority is to strengthen the electricity network, improve responses to faults and provide customers with a more reliable power supply.
