Restoration works on the vandalized 132kV Owen Falls–Mukono North and Mukono North–Namanve South transmission lines are underway, but the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) says the damage has triggered a massive power deficit in Mukono and Buikwe districts.
Two transmission towers collapsed on November 19 after vandals destroyed critical components along the Owen Falls line, cutting off electricity supply to three major substations.
During a visit to the damaged site, UEDCL Managing Director Paul Mwesigwa described the situation as one of the most severe supply disruptions the region has faced in recent years.
“The customers on the side of distribution have been off because we are unable to get power from the transmission substation,” Mwesigwa said.
He noted that the three affected substations are designed to receive 189 MW of installed capacity, yet the remaining fallback line can only deliver 15 MVA.
“We are in a shortage of over 90% of the energy that we need to supply our customers in the region,” he said.
“The total number of customers who are affected is 128,000, of which about 200 are three-phase. We have rationed the little energy—15 MVA—to give domestic customers so that we don’t get other security issues and riots when the population is demanding for power.”
To cushion the affected communities, UEDCL has been drawing emergency power from the ScoUL co-generator, which provides 16 MW to support domestic consumers.
UEDCL spokesperson Jonan Kiiza said the intervention has helped avert a full blackout.
“We took a measure to try and relieve the pressure by supplying the domestic communities in Mukono and Buikwe using the feeder from ScoUL, and we are grateful that the energy we have been deriving has cushioned our consumers without them facing serious impact like we are seeing on the side of industrialists,” Kiiza said.
He added that load-shedding has been necessary to keep essential services running.
“We were able to do some load-shedding to enable National Water and Sewerage Corporation to continue pumping water so that the utility function remains afloat as Uganda Transmission Company Limited fast-tracks the restoration of the vandalized tower.”
Kiiza condemned the growing trend of transmission infrastructure vandalism, warning that the repeated attacks are crippling the economy.
“Vandalism is a vice we should condemn at all levels—spiritual, cultural, and political—because the consequences are severe for the economy,” he said.
He urged leaders in Mukono and neighboring districts to take a proactive role in combating sabotage.
“We continue to rally our leaders, especially in this place where this incident has manifested not one time—literally every year we have an occurrence of this vice. You need to join us in the fight against vandalism.”
He appealed to the public to stay vigilant.
“Anything you see suspicious—whether on transmission towers, distribution lines, or transformers—report to the nearest authority.”
The Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) is currently replacing the fallen towers and reconstructing the damaged section of the line.
