HYPOSO Workshop on Framework Conditions for Small Hydropower in Uganda

Participants discussing at the Workshop on Small Hydropower Framework Conditions in Uganda

This workshop in Uganda was the last one of five workshops on the framework conditions for small hydropower in the HYPOSO target countries and had a very long story until it really happened. Due to different objectives, it had to be postponed and replanned four times.
The Workshop on Small Hydropower Framework Conditions in Uganda was finally held on 15 March 2023 in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. It was organised by the project partners TRMEW (Poland) and HPAU (Uganda). The workshop, taking place in Kampala’s well-known conference venue - Africana Hotel & Convention Centre, brought together 49 participants ranging from developers, government agencies, private sector actors, participants in the capacity building courses, consumers and the media. Dan Marlone Nabutsabi, the HYPOSO Project Manager in Uganda and Acting Chairman for the Hydro Power Association of Uganda (HPAU) began the workshop by briefly taking the participants through the program of the day. He also informed them that the day also doubled as the World Consumer Rights Day, commemorated on 15 March every year.

D. Marlone opening the Workshop on Small Hydropower Framework Conditions in Uganda and E. Okwenje giving an overview of small hydropower sector in Uganda and its role in clean energy transition from the perspective of the State Policy

Opening remarks were given by Ms Elizabeth Kaijuka Okwenje from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD). She gave a brief update on the hydro power status in the country. She expressed the will of the Government of Uganda to encourage private developers, as enshrined in the Energy Policy, National Development Plan III and Vision 2040, to increase access to clean energy. After that Ewa Malicka presented the HYPOSO project and informed about the last HYPOSO activities for Africa - the B2B matchmaking event to be organised at RENEXPO in Salzburg (Austria) on 30 March 2023, and the business cooperation study tour for stakeholders from the target countries to be organised from 3 to 13 May 2023 in Europe. Next, D. Marlone presented about the main outcomes of the analysis of the framework conditions for hydropower in Uganda made within the project together with the Lithuanian project partner VDU. After this, Beatrice Baratti (Frosio Next, Italy) informed the participants about the pre-feasibility studies of three potential sites in Uganda. After that, Gitana Vyčienė (VDU, Lithuania) presented the HYPOSO Map with all its features for its use and a tutorial video. Subsequently, the HYPOSO Platform as an international promotion and partner mapping tool and the HYPOSO handbook were presented by Tasniem Jawaid (EREF, Belgium). 
Next, two presenters shared their views about the state of small hydropower in Uganda and its role in transition to clean energy. As mentioned earlier, this day was also the World Consumer Rights Day, whose theme was ‘Clean Energy Transitions.’
Subsequently, E. Okwenje highlighted on the overview of hydropower regarding the state policy. She rerated the fact that government had the will to support the development of small hydropower projects in the country, as one of the ways of increasing access to clean energy.
This was followed by the last two presentations on barriers and experiences in small hydropower plants development from the point of view of the private sector (presented by  the HYPOSO pilot project’s developers Mr Benard Mbaine and Mr Jan Pilar from SEBEI HYDRO) and the public sector (presented by Mr David Lubega representing the government agency UEGCL).
After the first part of the workshop the certificates of completion of the Capacity Building Course were awarded to graduates of the course organised for African key stakeholders in January and February 2022 within HYPOSO WP4.

Participants of the Workshop on Small Hydropower Framework Conditions in Uganda

After that a discussion followed. The main issues were highligted by Ewa Malicka:

• The financing issue, in particular the problem of the financial capacity of the Ugandan site owners/developers to meet the financial requirements;
• Need of local expertise on HPP designing; 
• Lack of infrastructure to deliver electricity generated in planned SHPPs to the power grid leading to risk of non-bankability of projects;
• Need of outcomes from feasibility studies to be shown to HYPOSO pilot projects developers;
• Scarcity of in-depth information to develop sites identified in the HYPOSO Map and the need of continuation of HYPOSO;
• Prohibition by the electricity regulator to proceed with a few projects at the same time and necessity to complete one project before applying for another;
• The problem of time-consuming procedures to obtain permits while other permits expire and need for regulatory bodies to communicate to each other or need for a one-stop shop for HP development; E. Malicka explained the issue of having a one-stop shop, which she said would help have the different regulatory functions under one roof but is not easy to introduce as the example of the European countries also show. 
• Need to engage government to provide solutions to overcome the barrier mentioned above and need for representation of HP developers on government consultative forums as well as the need for representation of government at hydropower sector’s events.
• Lack of knowledge and/or information by applicants to develop hydropower projects and mistakes made by them in applications;
• Impacts of climate change and need to regularly update the HYPOSO Map;
• Need for insurance cover for HP projects; E. Malicka commented that, like in case of the Polish small hydropower association she represents, an insurance programme for SHP owners could be negotiated by an association in Uganda. Each SHP owner can than conclude an insurance contract on secure terms negotiated for members by their association.

After the summary of the workshop, Tasniem Jawaid, Dan Marlone Nabutsabi and Ewa Malicka declared the event closed.