- The solar hybrid 6.6 MW Nyagak III dam project in West Nile, Uganda has been halted.
- Mr Simon Kasyate, head of communications and corporate affairs at Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) made the announcement last week to the local press, stating that the results from feasibility studies were negative.
The Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited has carried out feasibility studies with Norwegian Partners, Malthe Winje Infrapower (MWIP) and Giertsen Energy Solutions.
Mr Simon Kasyate, head of communications and corporate affairs at UEGCL told local newspaper, Daily Monitor last week that studies were concluded and it was resolved to shelve the hybrid plan.
“Studies were carried out and at the moment, we do not think it makes dollar sense to do so and it was not meeting viability for many other reasons. So at the moment, Nyagak is being developed as an explicitly hydropower project,” he explained.
“We were asking ourselves where we are going to put the solar panels. Earlier thinking was that we would put them on the reservoir created; in other words, the lake behind. But we were looking at the concerns such as security and the environment,” he says pondering on the existential threat the project would cause to animal life underwater.
Kasyate further explains, a large chunk of land would be needed which would require a lot of money.
Consequently, financial, environmental and social viability did not make it possible to set up the hybrid dam.
UEGCL stressed that the idea is not off the shelf but rather paused to first address lack of electricity in West Nile region that will be solved by the hydro dam.UEGCL is considering other energy resources to boost the energy mix such that the country has not only abundant but also reliable electricity generation.
Related story: World Bank takes a firm stance on Isimba Hydro Project.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
