We are engaging govt on early concession renewal - Umeme
Thursday May 13 2021
Summary
Mr Bitature said that despite Covid-19-related disruptions, Umeme had transformed in a number of ways through adopting technology for both business and customer operations.
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Umeme has told shareholders that it is engaging government on early concession renewal amid growing pronouncements from public figures, among them President Museveni and rising concern from shareholders and funders.
Speaking during the annual general meeting, Mr Patrick Bitature, the Umeme chairman, told shareholders that the tone of the negotiations for renewal of the concession by government was more cordial than the public pronouncements.
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Umeme shares plummet after Museveni remarks
May 9, 2021 Selestino Babungi, Umeme managing director
President Yoweri Museveni s May 1 Labour Day remarks over electricity distribution costs seem to have sent shock waves among shareholders of Umeme Limited, the main electricity distributor in Uganda.
The concern over the president’s statement emerged this week on Thursday as Umeme shareholders met for the annual general meeting in Kampala. Umeme board chairperson, Patrick Bitature while addressing the shareholders, said Museveni s remarks are already impacting the company negatively.
Bitature says, for example, the company’s shares lost their prices by half when the president first demanded to know about the concession, and that since then, the price has never recovered.
Mbale reversing energy losses Police lead away a suspect apprehended in the operation
Mbale, which used to swap the number one position for stealing electricity with Masaka, is rolling back energy losses, Umeme Limited has announced in a statement.
The district has reduced losses from 57 per cent in 2016 to 32.8 per cent to date, which, although higher than the national mean of 17 per cent, is a movement in the right direction. The reduction is due to the anti-power theft operations in the city and sensitisation of the public about the risk of electrocution.
Generally, energy losses increased to 17.5 per cent from 16.4 per cent of 2019, on account of limited field activities due to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions on movement and suspension of the free Electricity Connection Policy, which led to increased illegal connections.
Suspected power thieves cough up Shs 94 million in one week
April 1, 2021 Officials in an operation against power theft previously
Power distributor Umeme has collected Shs 94 million in just one week of an operation against suspected electricity thieves.
The money is from individuals who had been arrested – many of whom have since been released – on accusations of either having bypassed their meters, tampering with them, or were tapping powerlines illegally.
Umeme relaunched the operation on March 23 in Najjanankumbi, Nateete and Wandegeya suburbs in Kampala following an increase by two percentage points in the total energy losses between the 2019 and 2020 calendar years.
Ms Florence Nsubuga, Umeme’s Chief Operations Officer speaking during the launch.
Intending customers who want to connect to the electricity grid no longer have to trek to the Umeme offices following the launch of an online application portal by power distributor Umeme. The platform dubbed “myumemeonline” will enable one to apply from anywhere, at any time on a computer, a tab, a laptop or the iPad. This comes in handy as entities generate convenient solutions amidst the current global health situation.
One will be able to use the platform on their mobile device phone if they download the Umeme App. An applicant can track the progress of their application with the tracking number provided after submission of the application.
Daily Monitor
Thursday March 11 2021
Summary
Whereas government recently announced the resumption of the Electricity Connection Policy, negotiations are on with the World Bank to secure funding for the project.
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The Ministry of Energy has said government has approached the World Bank for a $400m (Shs1.4 trillion) credit facility to resume free electricity connections for the next five years.
State Minister for Energy Simon D’ujanga yesterday said government is fast-tracking efforts to have free electricity connections resumed beyond the recently announced programme.
“Government is also in advanced stages to secure $400m (Shs1.4 trillion) from the World Bank to support the electricity connections policy for a period of five years. There is a lot of backlog of connections that we must do and we are working hard to make sure that the money comes soon,” Mr D’ujanga said, noting that the loan will clear the connection backlog of about 200,000 households and som
Consumers hope for more as Umeme ramps up investments
March 4, 2021 The new upgraded Gulu substation
Umeme Limited says there has been a huge improvement in power supply over the last couple of weeks as most of the investments it made last year start bearing results.
Selestino Babungi, the managing director of Umeme Limited, says, “What we have seen is where we have done these investments, the dividends are already coming through in terms of improvement of reliability of supply. You will note that in the period of January through the elections, power has been reliable across the country.”
Daniel Birungi, the executive director of the Uganda Manufacturers Association, says it would be insane to dispute the major improvement in Uganda’s electricity supply industry over the last 15 years.
Daily Monitor
Thursday January 21 2021
Summary
Sources say that whereas government has offered 10 per cent for return on investment in the new concession, Umeme is proposing at least 13 per cent.
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Umeme’s current 20-year concession expires in 2025.
Multiple sources close to the matter, who preferred anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations, said government has put a 10 per cent offer on table, which will be a revision from the 20 per cent under the current concession.
“The return on investment government is offering is 10 per cent. We are negotiating. It is not a take it or leave it case. The rate of return is among the issues being negotiated so it is still on until we conclude,” the source said.