User login
|
Bujagali Dam, Uganda / solutionsEnergy Solutions for UgandaUganda clearly needs power, but questions remain as to whether a large dam – and particularly a dam at the Bujagali site – is the most appropriate approach for the poor, indebted nation. Although less than 10% of the Ugandan population has access to electricity, most citizens could not afford Bujagali"s costly power even if they were offered free connections to the national grid. In addition, climate change is expected to make large hydro more risky in East Africa, and Uganda is already dependent on two large dams for meeting nearly all of its energy needs. Local activists working on this issue are pressing for a national energy plan that takes into account the needs of the poor and emphasizes true renewables like geothermal, solar, micro–hydro and biomass. The country has 400–500 MW of small–hydro potential, and up to 450MW of geothermal reserves. Ugandan NGOs believe a commitment to big hydropower now will come at the expense of the rural poor and may preclude Uganda from pursuing better options. Below are a few resources. Related content:
Would You Like a Dam With That Dam?Lori Pottinger Bujagali Project Torpedoes Options Assessment for UgandaLocal and international groups have been lobbying for a full and fair review of the various energy options available to Uganda ever since the Bujagali Dam site was first granted to the US–based AES Corporation in the mid–1990s. However, extensive efforts by NGOs to promote further analysis of energy alternatives have for years fallen on deaf ears at the World Bank Group, the project’s main backer. In fact, the Bank has actually subverted efforts to analyze non–hydropower options: it manipulated data to justify Bujagali as the "least–cost" option for Uganda after its consultants pointed to other projects as cheaper; hired a dam–building firm to produce an "energy alternatives" report that analyzed only hydropower projects, and has consistently dismissed (without justification) the promising option of geothermal power.
Related content:
A Geothermal Development Guide for UgandaNational Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE)
Despite the enormous geothermal potential in Uganda, harnessing of this resource potential has for some been an issue of contention in the country. The major reasons that have hindered the development of the resource have mainly been the cost of geothermal development in relation to the cost of large hydropower, the lack of political will on the side of government and to some extent the environmental concerns related to the development of resource. Government of Uganda has for some time expressed interest of developing this resource potential although, for several decades this commitment has failed to be translated into a reality. Recent developments in the sector indicate that the will of government to develop the resource is gaining some impetus; that is likely to see the resource being developed. Related content:
|
Executive Summary
Copyright © 1985-2008 International Rivers. Reproduction by permission only.
Please submit errors, comments or bugs here
International Rivers, 1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94703, USA
Tel: +1 510 848 1155 | Fax: +1 510 848 1008 | E-mail: info [at] internationalrivers [dot] org