- EDCL has revealed that power trading between Rwanda and Uganda could start soon.
- All installations and testing are expected to be completed by mid-June 2023.
Rwanda Energy Development Corporation Limited (EDCL) has revealed that power trading between Rwanda and Uganda could start soon.
EDCL is a subsidiary of Rwanda Energy Group (REG) mandated to increase investment in the development of new energy generation projects, develop appropriate transmission infrastructure, and execute energy access projects to meet the national access targets.
Director of Generation and Transmission at EDCL, Theoneste Higaniro, said that the projects to enable power trading between the two countries include the Shango Substation and the Mirama-Shango-a 220kV Transmission Line, connecting Rwanda to Uganda with a length of 93.5km.
“These two projects are already completed and ready for power interconnection,” he said.
Initial power trading through the lines between Uganda and Rwanda was planned to commence in 2020.
However, he noted that during the final testing of communication between the Shango Substation in Rwanda and the Mbarara Substation in Uganda, it was noticed that a communication booster was needed at Shango Substation for the signal to reach Mbarara Substation. He added that “the booster has already been procured and is on-site, only waiting for the engineer from the manufacturer to come for the installation. We expect all installations and testing to be completed by mid-June 2023.”