The European Union (EU) has confirmed its support for the rehabilitation and modernisation of Nalubaale and Kiira in Uganda, two of the country’s most important hydropower stations.
Located on the White Nile in Jinja, Nalubaale (180 MW) and Kiira (200 MW) together provide around 380 MW of installed capacity. As Uganda’s oldest large-scale hydropower facilities, they continue to play a central role in the national generation mix and grid stability. With hydropower accounting for the vast majority of Uganda’s electricity supply, maintaining the performance and reliability of these plants is strategically important.
The rehabilitation is being supported under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy and forms part of a broader Team Europe financing package. The overall funding envelope is reported at approximately €170 million, of which €30 million is provided as a direct EU grant, with the remainder mobilised through concessional loans from European development finance institutions. The grant component is intended to lower overall financing costs and help keep electricity affordable for consumers.
The planned works include the overhaul and modernisation of turbines and associated electro-mechanical equipment, upgrades to control and protection systems, and improvements to operational and flood management procedures. In parallel, capacity building for Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) is foreseen to strengthen long-term asset management and technical performance.
Environmental and social impact assessments and preparatory studies are underway, forming part of the due diligence required before full implementation. Once completed, the rehabilitation is expected to extend the operational life of the plants by several decades and improve efficiency, reliability and safety.
For Uganda, the focus on refurbishing existing hydropower assets reflects a broader trend across Africa: optimising and modernising ageing infrastructure can be as impactful as developing new capacity. In the case of Nalubaale and Kiira, the EU-supported intervention aims to safeguard a cornerstone of Uganda’s renewable energy system while reinforcing long-term energy security and resilience.