By The Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) has completed an upgrade of the Kampala South Substation, increasing its capacity from 20 megawatts to 34 megawatts in a move aimed at improving power supply reliability in Kampala and surrounding areas.
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The upgrade, completed on December 29, 2025, involved the installation and commissioning of a 10/14MVA, 33/11kV transformer as part of UEDCL’s ongoing system optimisation and grid enhancement programme.
According to UEDCL, the substation had been operating under strain after demand rose to 20.45 megawatts, exceeding the initial transformer’s maximum capacity of 15/20 megawatts. The overload affected six major feeders—Salama, Najjanankumbi, Kigo, Makindye, Kisubi, and Kabowa—which were dependent on a closed bus coupler.
UEDCL Managing Director Paul Mwesigwa said the upgrade will significantly enhance supply reliability and operational flexibility while eliminating the risk of substation overload.
“We will see improved supply reliability and the introduction of transformer redundancy in the event of failure or maintenance of either transformer,” Mwesigwa said, adding that the Salama and Najjanankumbi feeders are already loaded onto the new transformer, improving load distribution.
The Kampala South Substation serves about 650 commercial consumers and more than 108,000 domestic customers, many of whom have experienced power outages in the past due to capacity constraints.
Mwesigwa said the company has also upgraded several other substations during the first eight months of its new mandate, including Kakiri (from 14 MVA to 28 MVA), Kabale (from 2.5 MVA to 5 MVA), Masaka (from 5 MVA to 7 MVA), Kumi (from 1.5 MVA to 2.5 MVA), and Mubende (from 2.5 MVA to 5 MVA).
To cater for future demand, UEDCL has acquired land to construct two additional substations one within Kampala city and another in Magigye along Zirobwe Road. Several feeders across the city, including Mutundwe–Mityana, Mutundwe–Nakawuka, and Budo–Waliigo–Namugongo interconnections, are also scheduled for upgrade.
Mwesigwa said once the planned projects are completed, Kampala is expected to enjoy a steady power supply by 2026.
He also commended electricity users who responded to the “Weterzeeee” campaign by normalising their electricity connections, noting that more than 32,461 Ugandans have already benefited from free connections under the government’s GOU programme.
However, Mwesigwa warned that vandalism remains a major challenge to electricity reliability, revealing that more than 330 vandalism incidents have been reported nationwide since April 1, 2025.
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