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Buyende, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Energy has signed a services contract with a Korean firm which will evaluate the site where the 8400 MW nuclear power plant will be located.
The MInister of Energy, Ruth Nankabirwa said the signing of the contract worth $ 9 billion (UGX 34.2 trillion) brings the country closer to its 2040 energy goal of 52,481 MW, with 24,000 MW from nuclear.
The contractor, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. Ltd (KHNP) will evaluate the site located in Buyende district.
Dr. Ruth Nankabirwa, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development signed on behalf of the Government of Uganda. While Lim Seung-Yeol, Vice President of KHNP’s overseas Business Development Department signed on behalf of the contract.
Addressing the Journalists alongside a 12-member South Korean delegation led by Ambassador Park Sung-Soo, Eng. Cecilia Menya Nakiranda, Commissioner for Electrical Power at the Ministry of Energy, described the signing as a major step forward for Uganda’s nuclear programme.
She also highlighted the Ministry’s acquisition of 30 square kilometers of land in Kasaato Village, Kidera Subcounty, Buyende District.
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. Ltd, Vice President Lim Seung-Yeol reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s nuclear ambitions, noting that the two parties had earlier signed a Memorandum of Understanding in March 2023.
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. Ltd is a subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), was established in 2001 and operates South Korea’s major nuclear and hydroelectric power plants, which account for approximately 31.56% of the country’s total electricity output.
As of December 2020, the company managed 24 nuclear power plants, 37 hydroelectric stations, 16 pumped-storage plants, and 32 renewable energy facilities.
Minister Nankabirwa emphasized that once operational, Uganda’s nuclear power plant will make a significant contribution to the Eastern Africa Power Pool, helping strengthen the region’s energy security and economic integration.
The Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP), established in 2005, promotes interconnected power systems across the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region. Its current members include Burundi, Djibouti, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Uganda is endowed with a range of energy resources including hydropower, biomass, solar, geothermal, peat, uranium, and fossil fuels. The country has an estimated generation potential of 4,500 MW from hydropower, 1,650 MW from biomass co-generation, 1,500 MW from geothermal sources, and 800 MW from peat. Solar energy potential averages 5.1 kWh/m² per day.
Currently, Uganda’s electricity supply is primarily derived from renewables: hydropower (76%), biomass (9.6%), solar (4%), and fossil fuels (10.4%). However, these resources alone are insufficient to meet the long-term electricity demands outlined in Vision 2040.
To bridge this gap and achieve the 2040 target of 3,668 kWh per capita, Uganda is committed to integrating nuclear energy into its national energy mix.
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