Power Sector Transition in East Africa (EACOP region)

Introduction

Eastern Africa has some of the lowest electricity access rates in the world. The access to electricity rates all fall below 50%: Uganda 41%, Tanzania 38%, DR Congo 19%, South Sudan 7%. In South Sudan, those who have access to electricity often experience blackouts and forced load shedding. For clean cooking rates, Uganda, Tanzania, and South Sudan rank lower than most East African countries, though the International Energy Agency and the African Development Bank have jointly outlined a vision for disseminating clean energy technology across vulnerable communities.

Over 222 million people lived in the EACOP region in 2022. Collectively, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo make up 1.97% of global emissions (0.13%, 0.32%, 0.12%, and 1.4%, respectively). As a whole, East Africa's emissions have grown at a rate of 6.03% per year.

Climate change and its impacts are front of mind for many across East Africa. According to one study, 68.6% of survey respondents in the region agree that climate change is happening, and 91.8% of respondents believe that their local towns and cities are already feeling its effects. Additionally, when asked about risk perception, 59% of those surveyed are "very worried" about the effects of climate change on nearby towns and communities.

Symbolic Importance

East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP): Currently under development, EACOP is expected to carry 246,000 barrels of crude oil from Buseruka sub-county, Hoima District in Uganda's Western Region to the Port of Tanga, Tanzania, for export from the Indian Ocean. The pipeline has has been controversial: an independent review of the project's Environmental Impact Statement concluded that the statement did not "provide enough information for sound decision making"; research organizations have flagged potential human rights risks; and environmental activists protesting EACOP in Uganda have been arrested.

The government of Uganda anticipates significant population growth along with increased demand for jobs, housing, health, and energy, all of which present great potential for rapid adoption of renewable energy, particularly off-grid solar. Off-grid solar systems or independent mini-grids will play a crucial role in expanding electricity access in Uganda. They enable the delivery of electricity to remote rural areas in low-income countries, even in the absence of a national power grid. Uganda is richly endowed with a total renewable energy potential estimated at 5.3 GW, of which only 1,364.6 MW had been installed in 2021.

The declining costs and increasing resilience of renewable energy systems, particularly solar, presents South Sudan with an opportunity to "leapfrog" older generation technologies. In doing so, the United States Institute for Peace argues that this could create an environment to support peace-building throughout the country while departing from extractive industries that have "not served South Sudan well." Moreover, Stimson argues that "South Sudan’s future – and relief from its cycle of conflict – is linked to its reliance on fossil fuels... [the] energy sector is deeply embedded in the country’s conflict dynamics, from the economy’s near total dependence on oil production and the accompanying patronage systems to the reliance on imported diesel for access to electricity." Because of this, divesting from extractive fossil fuel industries may contribute to peacebuilding efforts in South Sudan.

This potential leapfrogging also presents opportunities for Tanzania. In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Tanzania is working to achieve universal access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy, as well as spur economic growth through avenues that are not tied to continued fossil fuel usage. A renewables-focused power sector transition can support these goals.

Notre Dame's Global Adaptation Initiative Index ranks the Democratic Republic of Congo as the world's fourth least-ready country to address climate shocks, as well as 17th most vulnerable globally. Only about 19% of the country's population of 108 million has access to electricity, which impairs health, education, income-generating, and wealth-building.

Current Energy System and Renewable Energy Development

Geothermal potential map of Africa. Source.

Geothermal in the East Africa Rift
The East African Rift has immense geothermal potential that has been mostly unrealized so far with only 900 MW installed, as of 2020. Uganda, DRC, and southern Tanzania sit atop the western branch, while northern Tanzania is part of the eastern branch of the Rift. Recent studies have increased collective understanding of the western branch’s geology, which may help reduce barriers to deployment. In addition, IRENA recommends increasing regulatory clarity to streamline licensing and administration, developing financing schemes, educating stakeholders, developing roadmaps, continuing to explore reservoirs, and building local capacity and technical expertise. An estimated 15,000 MW in geothermal energy potential exists in East Africa.

Uganda

Installed Capacity in Uganda from 2018 to 2022, ERA, Uganda, 2023

Current Power Capacity Mix

Uganda has an installed solar capacity of 24 MW and hydropower capacity of 813 MW. According to the country's nationally determined contribution document updated in September 2022, the total installed generation capacity has grown from 60 MW in 1954 to 1,267.2 MW in 2020 (MEMD, 2020). Biomass continues to play an important part in Uganda's economy, accounting for more than 89% of total primary consumable energy.

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics estimated that, in 2020, 38% of the population used solar energy, up from 18% in 2017.. Of that, solar home systems (SHS) have been well received in Uganda, covering many areas of the country and contributing significantly to household electrification. In 2022, 57.2 MW of installed solar capacity in Uganda is attributed to large-scale projects, while 33.6 MW is derived from SHS projects, constituting over 30% of the total installation capacity. Customers have adopted plug-and-play SHS with phone charging, radio, and TV capability because of their ease of use and flexible payments through mobile money–enabled pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) business models. Rural and peri-urban areas remain a viable market for these solar products.

Prospective Power Capacity

Prospective Capacity in Uganda (MW)
Energy Source	Announced	Pre-construction	Construction
Solar	170	90	23
Wind	120		20
Geothermal		300

Photovoltaic Electricity Potential in Uganda, 2020 The World Bank, Source: Global Solar Atlas 2.0, Solar resource data: Solargis.

Wind speeds at 100 m in Uganda. Originally published by the Global Wind Atlas.

Potential of Various Energy Sources in Uganda updated in 2019
Energy Source	Hydro (MW)	Small Hydro (MW)	Solar Thermal (TWh/y)	Solar PV (TWh/y)	Wind (TWh/y) at a capacity factor of 20%	Geothermal (MW)
Potential	>4,500 MW	200 MW	8,582 TWh	9,470 TWh	815 TWh	450 MW
Utilized level	45%		17%		>0.1%	>0.1%

Renewable Energy Targets

Uganda's most recent Uganda Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) was published in September 2022 and introduced a target to reduce the net emission by 24.7% below the BAU level of 148.80 MtCO2e in 2030, totaling an absolute reduction of 36.75 MtCO2e in that year.

Mitigation Measures from Renewable Energy from 2015 - 2030
Project Name	Energy Type	Installed Capacity (MW)
Xsabo Nkoge Solar (also known as Nkonge solar farm)	Solar	20 MW
Rupa Wind Power Plant	Wind	20 MW
SCOUL Bagasse Plant	Biomass(bagasse)	25 MW
Nyamagasani 1 HPP, Nyamagasani 2 HPP, Muyembe HPP, Achwa 2 HPP, Karuma hydroelectric plant(600 MW), Kikagati HPP, Kakaka HPP, Atari HPP, Kabeywa 1 HPP, Kabeywa 2 HPP, Nyabuhaka HPP, Simu HPP, Sisi HPP, Hoimo HPP, Igassa HPP, Kabasanja HPP, Tokwe HPP, Nsongya HPP, Katooke HPP, Nchwera HPP, Warugo HPP, Nyagak III HPP, Nyamwamba II HPP, Nyamabuye HPP, Sironko HPP, Kigwabaya HPP	Hydropower	756.8 MW in total
These renewable energy projects are expected to reduce around 300 tCO2e by 2030.

In 2020, the government of Uganda launched a program targeting the installation of 500,000 solar home systems in rural areas by 2025.

Uganda Vision 2040 is a governmental blueprint for the development of different sectors toward 2040. In this vision, Uganda will require 41,738 MW by 2040 thus increasing its electricity per capita consumption to 3,668 kWh. Furthermore, access to the national grid must significantly increase to 80 percent. Targets include: hydropower (4500 MW); geothermal (1500 MW); nuclear (24000 MW); solar (5000 MW); biomass (1700 MW); peat (800 MW) and thermal (4300 MW). Further details will be published with the feasibility studies.

During COP28 in December 2023, Uganda announced a new Energy Transition Plan with the support from IEA. The new plan sets out to achieve universal energy access by the end of the decade and a peak in emissions by 2040, targeting reaching net zero by 2065. Under the Energy Transition Plan scenario, the installed capacity needed from various energy type by 2050. Altogether, the renewable energy installed capacity will increase to 52GW by 2040 in Uganda. Among them, solar PV is highlighted as the central technology to fulfill the Energy Transition Plan's goal. Although the Uganda government plans to use nuclear power from 2030, under the no nuclear scenario in the Energy Transition Plan, solar can replace over half of the generation gap left by nuclear and increase to 50% of total generation in 2050. Remaining gaps can be replaced by geothermal.

Electricity generation by technology in the Energy Transition Plan, 2010-2050, Uganda Energy Transition Plan 2023, IEA, 2023

Power sector capacity additions by technology in the Energy Transition Plan, 2022-2050. Uganda Energy Transition 2023, IEA 2023

Major Renewable Projects

Solar Projects in Uganda
Project Name	Status	Installed Capacity (MW)
Kabulasoke solar farm	Operating	24
Nkonge solar farm	Construction	23 (recorded as 20 MW on Uganda's NDCs report)
Lira solar farm	Pre-construction	50
Kisumu Solar One solar farm	Pre-construction	40
Bukedea solar farm	Announced	20
Iganga solar farm	Announced	20
Kapeeka solar farm	Announced	20
Kumi solar farm	Announced	20
Namugoga Solar Power Station	Announced	50
Paliisa solar farm	Announced	20
Tororo solar farm	Announced	20

Onshore Wind Projects in Uganda
Project Name	Status	Installed Capacity (MW)
Rupa Wind Power Plant	Construction	20
Karamoja wind farm	Announced	120

Geothermal Projects in Uganda
Project Name	Status	Installed Capacity (MW)
Buranga geothermal power plant	Pre-construction	100
Katwe geothermal power plant	Pre-construction	200

According to the press release of the Government Citizen Interaction Centre, Uganda, the country is planning to develop several large-scale wind farms, including the 100 MW Kabonge Wind Farm and the 150 MW Ayite-Nyende Wind Farm.

At the end of 2019, 1 GW of new geothermal capacity was being planned in Djibouti, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Potential Impacts of Renewable Energy Expansion

The energy access rate in East Africa is low, and many local people rely on paraffin lamps, firewood, or charcoal for cooking and lighting. These energy sources expose people to the harmful effects of indoor air pollution, causing chest congestion-related diseases and death. With the installation of solar energy in the community, it would effectively reduce indoor air pollution in households. One example is the Kasese town in Uganda where residents shared how living quality and working conditions improve after installing rooftop solar. The town works with IRENA on setting goal of growing the number of renewable energy enterprises by 20%.

The implementation of solar power systems also holds potential benefits for the local agricultural sector. Starting in 2020, the Department of Agricultural Infrastructure, Mechanization, and Water for Agricultural Production, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF) in Uganda, promotes the Micro-scale Irrigation Program. This initiative utilizes solar-powered water pumps for irrigation on small farms, contributing to sustainable and efficient agricultural practices.

Major Owners of Renewable Energy

Ranking of the Solar Owner Company in Uganda
Owner Company	Owned Capacity	Owned Project
TotalEnergies EP Uganda	120	Announced six projects including Bukedea solar farm, Iganga solar farm, Kapeeka solar farm, Kumi solar farm, Paliisa solar farm, and Tororo solar farm.
Xsabo Group	73	Developing two projects: Lira solar farm and Nkonge solar farm
Solar Energy for Africa; Naanovo Energy Inc	50	Announced Namugoga Solar Power Station
Xsabo Group; Great Lakes Africa Energy (GLAE)	24	Operating Kabulasoke solar farm

Amea Power has announced two projects, which are Karamoja wind farm and West Nile wind farm, totaling 130 MW. Senok Wind Uganda Limited is constructing the 20 MW Rupa Wind Power Plant.

In addition to large-scale renewable energy projects, Uganda boasts over 200 pico solar and solar home systems (SHS) companies. The capacity of these systems caters to a variety of needs, from small residences to schools, hospitals, and commercial or industrial establishments. Notable companies in this sector include Greenlight Planet, M-KOPA, d.light, and Engie Energy Access. Furthermore, the solar modules are designed and assembled locally.

Tanzania

Current Power Capacity Mix

Tanzania's energy mix is comprised of 240 MW of oil and gas, as well as 460 MW of hydropower. While 45% of Tanzania's electricity comes from hydropower, droughts and poor rainy seasons have resulted in electricity shortages.

Prospective Power Capacity

Prospective Capacity in Tanzania (MW)
Energy Source	Announced	Pre-construction	Construction
Solar		100	50
Wind		300
Geothermal	40	30
Hydropower		580	2,118
Bioenergy		36
Oil & Gas	650
Coal	200	600 (pre-permit)

Photovoltaic Electricity Potential in Tanzania, 2020 The World Bank, Source: Global Solar Atlas 2.0, Solar resource data: Solargis.

Tanzania's mean wind speed at 100 m. Originally published by Global Wind Atlas.

Tanzania receives 2,800 to 3,500 hours of sunshine per year, with a global horizontal radiance of 4–7 kWh/m²/day. Because of this, Tanzania has a greater wind and solar potential than the State of California and country of Spain, respectively.

Tanzania is one of the largest growers of sisal, a tropical plant cultivated for its fibrous leaves. There is growing interest in burning its waste as a form of biofuel. The country receives sunshine for an average of nine hours a day and has a wind speed of 0.9-9.9 m/s. Geothermal and hydropower have an estimated potential of 650 MW and 4.7 GW, respectively.

Renewable Energy Targets

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan established a goal of 6,000 MW of renewables by 2025. Additionally, Tanzania's NDC outlines a plan to reduce between 30-35% of greenhouse gas emissions relative to Business-As-Usual. This would avoid between 138-153 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, depending on baseline efficiency improvements. To do this, Tanzania will:

• Explore options for improved clean power interconnection with neighboring countries.
• Promote clean technologies for power generation and diverse renewable sources such as geothermal wind, hydro, solar, and bioenergy.
• Expand use of natural gas for power production, cooking, transportation, and thermal services through improvement of natural gas supply systems throughout the country.
• Promote climate-smart rural electrification, including development of micro- and mini-grid renewable energy generation for improved rural electrification.
• Reduce the consumption of charcoal in urban and rural areas by promoting affordable alternative energy sources through a regulation policy for charcoal production and use.

Major Renewable Projects

Solar Projects in Tanzania
Project Name	Status	Installed Capacity (MW)
Kishapu solar farm	Construction	50
Kishapu solar farm	Pre-construction	100

Wind Projects in Tanzania
Project Name	Status	Installed Capacity (MW)
Miombo Hewani wind farm(Onshore)	Pre-construction	300

Geothermal Projects in Tanzania
Project Name	Status	Installed Capacity (MW)
Ngozi geothermal power plant, Unit 1	Pre-construction	30
Ngozi geothermal power plant, future units	Announced	40

At the end of 2019, 1 GW of new geothermal capacity was being planned in Djibouti, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Potential Impacts of Renewable Energy Expansion

Since implementation began in 2017, the Tanzania Rural Electrification Expansion Project (TREEP) aimed to 1) increase rural access to electricity, 2) increase the supply of renewable electricity in rural areas, and 3) strengthen the capacity of sector institutions to deliver on the National Rural Electrification Program. The project resulted in access to electricity increasing to 37.7% in 2020, up from 7% in 2011, due in part to off-grid investments such as mini-grids. Impacts of this project include lower power bills for small businesses, greater attraction of young professionals to rural communities, and over 4.5 million people gaining access to electricity.

Major Owners of Renewable Energy

The only solar project in Tanzania is the 150 MW Kishapu solar farm, which is being developed by Tanzania Electric Supply Company LTD (TANESCO).

Two wind projects are being developed in Tanzania. One is the 300 MW Miombo Hewani wind farm co-developed by Windlab PTY LTD [75%] and Eurus Energy [25%], as well as the 50 MW Miombo Hewani wind farm developed by VR Holding AB.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Current Power Capacity Mix

The energy system of DR Congo relies heavily on hydropower, contributing to 99% of both installed capacity and electricity generation. The installed hydropower capacity in DR Congo is approximately 2,700 MW (with 2,686 MW recorded in the Global Hydropower Tracker and 2,792 MW in the Africa Energy Database). Additionally, the energy mix features gas (2.2 MW), solar (1.1 MW), and other sources (48.8 MW). DR Congo has a total of 836 solar photovoltaic systems installed.

According to the IRENA and African Development Bank's report, Renewable Energy Market Analysis: Africa and its Regions, the electricity generation capacity from East African countries are as the chart below. South Sudan relies heavily on oil for almost 100% of its electricity, complemented by a small contribution from solar. Uganda's energy mix is primarily hydropower-based, accounting for nearly 80%, with additional inputs from oil, biomass, and solar. Tanzania boasts a relatively diversified system compared with Uganda and South Sudan, with roughly 50% from natural gas, almost 25% from hydropower, nearly 20% from coal, and the remaining share from bioenergy and solar.

Electricity generation capacity in East Africa, by country and source, East Africa, 2020, IRENA and AfDB (2022)

Prospective Power Capacity

Prospective Capacity in Democratic Republic of the Congo (MW)
Energy Source	Announced	Pre-construction	Construction
Solar	933	233	600
Hydropower	628	4,764	150
Oil & Gas	200

Solar resource potential has been divided into seven classes, each representing a range of annual PV output per unit of capacity (kWh/kWp/yr). The bar chart shows the proportion of a country's land area in each of these classes and the global distribution of land area across the classes (for comparison). Potential wind power density (W/m2 ) is shown in the seven classes used by NREL, measured at a height of 100m. The bar chart shows the distribution of the country's land area in each of these classes compared to the global distribution of wind resources. Areas in the third class or above are considered to be a good wind resource. IRENA, 2023.

Photovoltaic Electricity Potential in Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2020 The World Bank, Source: Global Solar Atlas 2.0, Solar resource data: Solargis.

Average wind speeds at 100 meters across the Democratic Republic of Congo. Originally published by Global Wind Atlas.

Renewable Energy Targets

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) last updated its NDC in December 2021. The country has committed to an emissions reduction target of 21% by 2030, with 19% of this target being conditional on external support. The NDC budget is estimated at 48.68 billion U.S. dollars (USD), of which 25.60 billion USD is for the implementation of pledged mitigation initiatives and 23.08 billion USD is for priority adaptation actions.

The utility company in DR Congo, Bboxx, is constructing 24 solar-powered mini-grids to power 150,000 people across the country by 2024. By 2027, the company is expected to build 750 mini-grids over the next five years within Bboxx’s Connected Community Program of the company.

DRC's immediate low-carbon energy goals focus on building up hydroelectric resources and rehabilitating existing geothermal stations across the country. Solar investors are beginning to explore the market and sign MOUs with the nation's government.

Major Renewable Projects

Solar Projects in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Project Name	Status	Installed Capacity
Kinshasa Solar City solar farm	Construction	600
Likasi solar farm	Construction	100
Tshopo solar farm	Construction	40
Amea Power solar farm (DR Congo)	Pre-construction	100
Kolwezi solar farm	Pre-construction	100

Other small-scale solar projects:

• Bunia: 8 MW, taking up 25 hectares of land. Developed by Nuru company and the construction and operation are June 2023 and June 2024, respectively.
• Goma: 3.7 MW, taking up 4.5 hectares of land. Developed by Nuru company and the construction and operation are June 2023 and December 2023, respectively.
• Kindu: 2 MW, taking up 7 hectares of land. Developed by Nuru company and construction and operation are June 2023 and June 2024, respectively.

No wind projects in the country by November 2023.

Potential Impacts of Renewable Energy Expansion

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided support to the Democratic Republic of Congo improve access to renewable energy, resulting in:

• Two new energy regulatory agencies established
• Drafting of two dozen electricity-related decrees, of which at least 14 have been adopted
• Provided clean energy to 1,434 households and 44 businesses via connection to hydropower
• Leveraged $77 million to provide reliable and affordable energy to the City of Goma
• Enabled 15,612 new grid and off-grid connections
• Mobilized a $2.25 million investment for clean energy projects

The energy transition is not without its own injustices, which must be addressed. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, which produced approximately 41% of the world's cobalt in 2020, sudden expanded mining operations spearheaded by multinational companies has caused the forced removal of communities from their homes and farmland. According to local human rights organization, Initiative pour la Bonne Gouvernance et les Droits Humains, there are no grievance mechanisms, accountability, or access to justice. Compensation for the removal of residents, as well as the demolition of homes, has been completely insufficient. Residents have also described instances of injuries and sexual assault perpetuated by soldiers monitoring mines.

Major Owners of Renewable Energy

Ranking of the Solar Owner Company in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Owner Company	Owned Capacity	Owned Project
Sun Plus	600	Constructing Kinshasa Solar City solar farm
Amea Power	100	Developing Amea Power solar farm (DR Congo)
International Finance CORP (IFC); Globeleq	100	Developing Kolwezi solar farm
Cat Projects Africa	40	Constructing Tshopo solar farm

South Sudan

Current Power Capacity Mix

South Sudan's total installed capacity, as of 2020, was 0.12 GW (120 MW) total. This is mostly derived from fossil fuels, with a marginal amount coming from solar.

Prospective Power Capacity

Prospective Capacity in South Sudan (MW)
Energy Source	Announced	Pre-construction	Construction
Solar			20
Hydropower	2,105

Photovoltaic Electricity Potential in South Sudan, 2020 The World Bank, Source: Global Solar Atlas 2.0, Solar resource data: Solargis.

Mean wind speeds in South Sudan at 100 m. Originally published by Global Wind Atlas.

South Sudan has an estimated solar energy capacity of 436 W/m²/year, which meets the threshold to produce "high quality" electricity. Wind energy densities range from 285 W/m² and 380 W/m².

Renewable Energy Targets

South Sudan NDC: In the country's Second Nationally Determined Contribution, South Sudan establishes a renewable energy target of 2,729.5 MW of renewable energy, including hydropower, by 2023. This goal would result in avoiding 11.9 million tons of carbon dioxide (equivalent). If accomplished, this increase in renewable energy generation would equal approximately an 8% energy share and would contribute toward South Sudan's goal of 69% emissions reduction by 2030, relative to the baseline.

Major Renewable Projects

Solar Projects in South Sudan
Project Name	Status	Installed Capacity (MW)
Juba (Elsewedy Power) solar farm	Construction	20
Aptech Africa solar farm	Operating	26

No wind projects in the country by November 2023.

Potential Impacts of Renewable Energy Expansion

Of the countries in the region, South Sudan has one of the lowest electricity access rates, though national leadership has established a goal of reaching 50% electricity access by 2030. Renewable energy, especially distributed solar on the rooftops of government buildings and schools, can play a massive role in reaching this goal.

Additionally, conflict in South Sudan, and its impact on the country’s infrastructure, has hindered renewable development. That said, the United States Institute of Peace published a report demonstrating the utility that renewables, specifically solar power, could have in reducing energy costs in the short-term, as well as creating resilient infrastructure in the long-term. The report highlights three immediate opportunities for solar electrification: 1) onsite energy generation for nongovernmental organizations, 2) neutral health institutions like hospitals and clinics, and 3) sites for internally displaced persons outside of Bentiu and Malakal, two regional capitals which have suffered destruction from conflict.

Major Owners of Renewable Energy

The only solar project in South Sudan is the 20 MW Juba (Elsewedy Power) solar farm and is constructed by Elsewedy Electric.

Fossil Fuel in East Africa

East African Crude Oil Pipeline

Map of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP)

The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) will carry 246,000 barrels of crude oil across 1,444 kilometers from Buseruka, Uganda to the Port of Tanga, Tanzania. According to Bill McKibben with the New Yorker,

"The proposed route looks almost as if it were drawn to endanger as many animals as possible: the drilling pads are in the Murchison Falls National Park, in Uganda, and the pipeline runs through the Taala Forest Reserve and encroaches on the Bugoma Forest (home to large groups of chimpanzees) before crossing into Tanzania and the Biharamulo Game Reserve, home to lions, buffalo, elands, lesser kudu, impalas, hippos, giraffes, zebras, roan antelopes, sitatungas, sables, aardvarks, and the red colobus monkey. The pipeline also manages to traverse the Wembere steppe, a seasonal paradise for birds, and hundreds of square kilometres of elephant habitat. (Indeed, a charismatic elephant is featured in the online petition that an international nonprofit organization launched last week opposing the plan.) And, once the pipeline gets to Tanzania, tankers the length of three football fields will try to transport the oil out through mangrove swamps and over coral reefs, in waters teeming with dugongs and sea turtles."

Moreover, the project is expected to displace more than 100,000 residents and create greater food instability and household debt in the region. While 90% of those who will lose land are entitled to compensation, that compensation has been both inadequate and delayed in disbursement.

Greenwatch has identified several impacts that EACOP could have on the surrounding areas:

1. Loss of agricultural land, swamps, soil structure, drainage capacity, and plant establishment
2. Loss of wildlife and vegetation, mortality of fauna species, and increased predation by predator species
3. Air and noise pollution, as well as nuisance from dust emissions
4. Decreased quality of both surface and groundwater
5. Loss of cultural and holy sites

Ownership

The East African Crude Oil Pipeline Project has three primary shareholders: TotalEnergies, a French oil and gas company; the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), which manages Uganda's oil and gas reserves; and the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC). The TPDC and UNOC each own 15% of the company's shares.

Uganda

Fossil Resources and Retirement

Oil and gas extraction sites in development: Kingfisher South Oil and Gas Field (Uganda), Lake Albert Development Oil Project (Uganda), and Tilenga Oil and Gas Field (Uganda)

Major Owners of Current Fossil Fuel Capacity

The state-owned Uganda Electricity Generation Company owns most public grid-connected power plants in the country, while the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company and the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company own transmission and distribution infrastructure, respectively.

Current Impacts from Fossil Fuels

According to the Air Quality Life Index, residents of Uganda would gain approximately 2.13 years in life expectancy if PM2.5 levels met World Health Organization guidelines.

Tanzania

Fossil Resources and Retirement

Active coal mines: Ngaka Coal Mine.

Discovered oil and gas extraction sites: Block 1 and Block 4 Oil and Gas Asset (Tanzania), Block 2 Oil and Gas Asset (Tanzania), Giligiliani Gas Field (Tanzania), Jodari Gas Field (Tanzania), Lavani Gas Field (Tanzania), Mdalasini Gas Field (Tanzania), Mkizi Gas Field (Tanzania), Mkuranga Gas Field (Tanzania), Mronge Gas Field (Tanzania), Mzia Gas Field (Tanzania), Ntorya Gas Field (Tanzania), Piri Gas Field (Tanzania), Pweza Gas Field (Tanzania), Taachui Gas Field (Tanzania), Tangawizi Gas Field (Tanzania), Zafarani Gas Field (Tanzania). Operating: Mnazi Bay Gas Field (Tanzania) and Songo Songo Gas Field (Tanzania)

Tanzania's natural gas reserves are estimated at 45 billion cubic meters, with reserves at Songo Songo and Mnazi Bay estimated at 30 billion and 15 billion cubic meters, respectively. Most of this gas was discovered in the early 2010s, which sparked exploration and discoveries of natural gas in Egypt, Senegal, and Mauritania.

Major Owners of Current Fossil Fuel Capacity

Tanzania's natural gas facilities are primarily owned by the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Ltd (TANESCO), Shangtan Power Generation Company Ltd, and Kilwa Energy Co Ltd. Coal generation is owned by Kiwira Coal and Power, Tanzania China International Mineral Resources Ltd, Intra Energy Corp, Magamba Coal, Kibo Mining, Dangote Cement, and Edenville Power Tanzania. Independent power proucers operate plants larger than 10 MW and sell back to TANESCO via power purchase agreements.

Current Impacts from Fossil Fuels

While Tanzania is not a major contributor of emissions, 70% of the country's natural disasters are linked to droughts and flooding exacerbated by climate change. Along the coast, up to 80 additional days per year could reach above 30°C.

According to the Air Quality Life Index, residents of Tanzania would gain approximately 1.12 years in life expectancy if PM2.5 levels met World Health Organization guidelines.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Fossil Resources and Retirement

The Democratic Republic of Congo's installed capacity is primarily comprised of hydropower, though 2.2 MW come from gas.

Major Owners of Current Fossil Fuel Capacity

According to Global Energy Monitor's Coal Plant Tracker (January 2024 release), the Democratic Republic of Congo only have one coal power station, which is owned by Gecamines. The Country's natural gas generation is owned by Perenco. Additionally, the state-owned utility, the National Electricity Company (Société Nationale d’Électricité) is the main provider of electricity. However, the company is plagued with operational and financial underperformance, illegal user connections, and an exceptionally low average electricity tariff.

Current Impacts from Fossil Fuels

According to the Air Quality Life Index, residents of DRC would gain approximately 2.9 years in life expectancy if PM2.5 levels met World Health Organization guidelines.

South Sudan

Fossil Resources and Retirement

Active oil and gas extraction site: Qamari Oil Field (South Sudan).
South Sudan has an estimated 3.5 billion barrels of oil in their reserves, which is the third largest in sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 90% of South Sudan's oil and gas reserves are untapped. As of 2022, nearly 100% of of South Sudan's electricity is generated using oil. Of South Sudan's 175 MW of installed capacity, 174 MW are oil and 1 MW is solar.

Major Owners of Current Fossil Fuel Capacity

Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet): South Sudan's national oil company, which oversees petroleum sector operations and holds minority stakes in production-sharing contracts with foreign oil companies. These foreign companies include China National Petroleum Corporation, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (India), and Petronas (Malaysia). Domestically, the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company, the Dar Petroleum Operating Company, and the Sudd Petroleum Operating Company manage fossil fuel operations in both Sudan and South Sudan.

Current Impacts from Fossil Fuels

South Sudan is particularly vulnerable to climate change, where floods, droughts, and epidemics are particularly common. Approximately half of all counties in South Sudan have been affected by flooding in recent years; Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile represent about 75% of the affected population. More than 2,000,000 people have been displaced due to flooding and droughts. Despite this, experts believe that South Sudan's economic prospects will continue to be tied to oil, which currently accounts for approximately 90% of government revenue.

According to the Air Quality Life Index, residents of South Sudan would gain approximately 1.08 years in life expectancy if PM2.5 levels met World Health Organization guidelines.

Employment

As of 2020, unemployment in South Sudan exceeded 30%, where 31.9% of males and 27.1% of females were out of work. The United Nations Development Programme has flagged three major impediments to youth engagement in the labor market:

1. Large barriers to education and skills-building, with 94% of youth having less than a primary education, which contributes to South Sudan's 72% illiteracy rate.
2. Insufficient labor demand, which results from both a dominance of agriculture and livestock sectors, which employs 58% of youth workers, and a lack of job opportunities for young people.
3. Lack of sound policy, legal, and regulatory framework for youth employment. The 2017 passage of the Labour Act (No. 64) marked a first-of-its-kind national labor law since South Sudan gained its independence, though efforts must be undertaken to reduce fragmentation across government institutions.

Similarly, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, many young people lack job opportunities. Nearly 70% of the population is made up of young people (15-34 years old), and of those, more than 80% are unemployed. Nearly 88.6% of employment is informal, of which 59.7% is agriculture-related activities.

In Tanzania, existing employment policy focuses on skill development across six key sectors: agribusiness, tourism and hospitality, energy, transport and logistics, construction, and information and communication technologies. In particular, there is an active effort to create female-oriented programming to decrease inequities in education, wealth, and social capital. Additionally, Tanzania's National Employment Policy (2008) established seven key goals:

1. Enhance skills and competencies for those in the formal and informal sector, especially rural areas.
2. Promote the goal of decent and productive employment as a national priority and enable all participants in the labor force to gain productive and full employment.
3. Promote equal access to employment opportunities and resources endowments for marginalized and vulnerable groups, including women, young people, and people with disabilities.
4. Put in place a conducive and enabling environment to promote growth of the private sector and transformation of the informal sector into formal.
5. Ensure income security and social inclusion.
6. Safeguard the basic rights and interests of workers in accordance with International Labour Standards.
7. Foster faster economic growth and adequate allocation of investment resources to employment potential sectors such agriculture, non-farm activities in rural areas, manufacturing and agro-processing industries, and infrastructure and social service sectors.

Current and prospective employment from the fossil fuel sector

In Uganda, the EACOP is expected to produce only 200-300 permanent jobs. By contrast, tourism highlighting Uganda's natural landscapes and wildlife, which may be affected by the pipeline, employs over 600,000 people.

The United Republic of Tanzania's electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply industry only employ 0.1% of the eligible workforce, with 0.0% attributed to female workers. Mining and quarrying employ 0.9% of the workforce, and manufacturing makes up 12.2%. The mean monthly incomes for all three industries are 739,461, 380,717 and 325,349 Tanzanian shillings, respectively.

Prospective employment from the renewable energy sector

The International Energy Agency estimates that Uganda's recently announced Energy Transition Plan, and its associated investments, could generate an additional 220,000 jobs in Uganda's energy sector by 2030.

Energy jobs by sector across African regions, from 2019 through 2050. 1.5-S is an ambitious energy transition scenario that aims to reach the global 1.5 degree Celsius goal, and PES, or Planned Energy Scenario, is a scenario based on current plans. Originally published by IRENA.

Land availability

According to the International Energy Agency’s 2023 report “Net Zero Roadmap: A Global Pathway to Keep the 1.5 °C Goal in Reach,” an average utility-scale solar PV project of 100 MW generally occupies from 1 km² to 3 km², while a 100 MW onshore wind turbine project generally covers from 5 km² to 30 km². Estimates on the amount of land necessary to meet individual country goals are summarized in the table below:

	Wind (onshore)	Solar PV (grid-scale)
Uganda	6.5 - 39 km²	3 - 9 km²
Tanzania	17.5 - 105 km²	1.5 - 4.5 km²
DR Congo	0	9.4 - 28.2 km²

South Sudan does not currently have any utility-scale wind or solar in the pipeline and is therefore absent from this table.

As planned, EACOP will run for 1,443 kilometers from the Kingfisher oilfields in Uganda to the Port of Tanga in Tanzania. Human Rights Watch estimates that more than 100,000 people in Uganda and Tanzania alone will lose land for pipeline and oilfield development. Interviews with impacted community members cite poor communication and delayed and insufficient compensation. Anecdotes describe replacement land as having lower quality soil and being located further from townships and villages.

Uganda: The national land scale is 41,038 square kilometers, with water bodies and wetlands occupying one-third of the territory.

South Sudan: In South Sudan, the most expansive land cover is grassland (37.8%), followed by open natural vegetation (26.8%), vegetation on wetland areas (18.8%), and closed natural vegetation (9.6%). South Sudan has experienced land degradation due to climate change which has been exacerbated by migration. According to Practical Action, land reclamation and stewardship may begin after peacemaking in conflicts related to natural resources.

Tanzania: As of 2020, Tanzania's land cover was 22% open woodlands, down from 27% in 2010; 18% land cultivated for grains, up from 10% in 2010; and 12% closed woodland, up from 10% in 2010.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Nearly 65% of the entire forest area of the Congo River Basin is encompassed within the DRC. Because of this, the country is considered to be one of the largest centers for biodiversity globally.

Civil Society Engagement

The #StopEACOP campaign brings together residents and organizations across Uganda and Tanzania aimed at halting development of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), which threatens the health and well-being of local communities, wildlife, and the climate. Campaign members are: 350Africa.org, Inclusive Development International, BankTrack, AFIEGO, Fridays for Future Uganda, Natural Justice, AVAAZ, Global Catholic Climate Movement, EGI, Reclaim Finance, GPFOG, Climaximo, Fund Our Future, Youth for Green Communities, RE:Common, Both Ends, CEFROHT, Extinction Rebellion, Rainforest Rescue, 11th Hour Project, Indigenous Environmental Network, Eco Terra, EKOenergy, Action Solidarite Tiers Monde, Community Transformation Foundation Network, Witness Radio, Les Amis de la Terre France, Mangrove Action Project, Survie, Environmental Justice Foundation, Stand.earth, Just Share, and Greenfaith.

Uganda

The Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC) at Makerere University, Uganda. Conducts largely applied research on energy management, solar PV, pico hydropower, and biomass, with a focus on the transfer of clean energy technology to the business community and general public. Studies include one on small hydropower in rural Uganda and another on solar energy kiosks.

The Uganda Solar Energy Association promotes renewable energy technologies across the country and has more than 200 local, international, corporate, professional, and student members.

Additionally, organizational members of Climate Action Network Uganda include Uganda's Little Hands Go Green, Osukuru United Women Network, A Rocha Uganda, Bi-Vision Africa, BlueConserv Africa - Makerere University, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais of Uganda, Rights 4 Her Uganda, Navigators of Development Association, Action Aid International - Uganda, Women's Climate Centers International, Advocacy Coalition for Sustainable Agriculture, African Centre for Trade and Development, Afro-lines International Frontiers, CARE Uganda, Community Restoration Initiative Project, Environment and Natural Resources CSO Network, Joint Energy and Environment Projects, Land Environment and Development Concerns, Red Cross Uganda, Reproductive Health Uganda, Transparency International, and the Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiation Institute.

Tanzania

Climate Action Network Tanzania aims to create socioeconomically powerful and climate resilient communities and operates across eight primary focus areas: Low Carbon, Capacity Building, Sustainable Agriculture, Water Resources, Renewable Energy, Climate Financing, Gender Mainstreaming, and Climate Services.

CARE, an organization devoted to building knowledge and empowering poor and marginalized people around the planet to act on climate change, has a presence in Tanzania. CARE's efforts in the country focus on natural resource management, climate change adaptation, and women's empowerment.

The Foundation for Environmental Protection in Tanzania (FEPT) is a youth-led effort that aims to support communities mitigating the impact of climate change through advocacy, land restoration, and promotion of sustainable land use.

The Tanzania Climate Change Initiative (TCCI) convenes stakeholders to gain and share practical knowledge on climate change mitigation and adaptation pathways. TCCI members represent both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The Tanzania Renewable Energy Association (TAREA) is a grantmaking nonprofit organization that promotes the accessibility and use of renewable energy throughout the country. The Association has more than 700 local, international, corporate, professional, and student members globally.

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Congolese Association for Renewable and Decentralized Energy coordinates across DRC's energy companies to address energy access problems. Members include BBOXX, Greenlight Planet, BURN, Altech, and Dev Solaire.

Governmental information

Uganda

Related Governmental Policies and Papers

The SE4ALL Action Agenda redefined Uganda’s overall energy goals by 2030 as:

• An electrification rate of over 98% (the rate was 42.1% in 2020)
• Increased access to modern cooking solutions to over 99%
• The reduction of national wood consumption by 40%
• The improvement of energy efficiency of power users by minimum of 20%
• A share of renewable energy in the total final energy consumption to be over 90% of electrical energy
• A share of renewable energy of at least 36% in thermal energy consumption

The Government of Uganda has set a target of achieving universal access to electricity by 2030. Over the next five years, the Government plans to connect an additional 1.5 million households to the grid and increase the electrification rate from 28% to 50%. In recent years, the Government has launched several programs to support the development of small-scale hydropower projects, including the Small-Scale Hydropower Development Project, which aims to develop 12 small-scale hydropower projects with a total capacity of 8 MW.

Another area of focus for Uganda’s energy sector is improving energy efficiency. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Uganda’s energy intensity – the amount of energy consumed per unit of GDP – is one of the highest in the world. This is partly due to the country’s reliance on inefficient technologies and practices, such as kerosene lamps and biomass stoves. Improving energy efficiency could help to reduce energy costs for households and businesses, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to the SEforAll action agenda published in 2015, Uganda aims to increase its energy efficiency rate by at least 20% before 2030. Uganda's 2022 update to its NDC estimated that approximately 6.89 MtCO2e can be reduced by energy efficiency improvements before 2030.

According to the African Development Bank's Electricity Regulatory Index, Uganda's regulatory framework is well developed, with local utilities responding positively to guidelines.

Additionally, the Renewable Energy Investment Guide provides an overview of the legal framework, licensing, permitting, policies, and opportunities for developing renewable energy.

In efforts to attract investors to their renewable energy sectors, the governments of the United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda provide model contracts in their investment guides.

Relevant Governmental Ministries and Political Coalitions

Electricity Regulatory Authority: Primary regulatory body overseeing the generation, transmission, distribution, sale, export, and import of electrical energy in Uganda.

Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development: Works to establish, promote the development, strategically manage, and safeguard the rational and sustainable exploitation and utilization of energy and mineral resources for social and economic development.

Rural Electrification Program: Situated within the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, the REP works to extend power grids and coordinate with off-grid companies to fine alternatives when traditional grid expansion is too costly.

Tanzania

Related Governmental Policies and Papers

Tanzania’s National Energy Policy aims to: 1) guide sustainable development and energy uses to ensure benefits are delivered to residents and the economy; 2) enhance provision of reliable, resilient, and affordable energy; and 3) create legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks for energy and related services. The policy addresses electricity generation, transmission, distribution, interconnection, and electrification, as well as petroleum and gas, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.

The Electricity Act of 2008 similarly addresses the facilitation and regulation of generation, transmission, transformation, distribution, supply, and ultimate use of electricity. Additionally, the Act provides direction for the international trade of electricity and the planning and regulation of rural electrification.

In efforts to attract investors to their renewable energy sectors, the governments of the United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda provide model contracts in their investment guides.

Relevant Governmental Ministries and Political Coalitions

Ministry of Energy: Aims to provide reliable, affordable, safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly energy and associated services to residents, while ensuring effective participation of customers.

Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority: Makes all rules with respect to regulated services and supply. Since its establishment, the Authority has developed and put into operation various rules related to regulation of the electricity sub-sector in mainland Tanzania.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Related Governmental Policies and Papers

In 2014, DR Congo passed Law No. 14/011, which consolidates existing legislation addressing generation, transmission, distribution, trade, and use of electricity. The law also aims to promote energy efficiency, environmentally sound policy, and competition within the sector.

Relevant Governmental Ministries and Political Coalitions

Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development: Executes national policies for sustainable management of the environment, as well as conservation of DRC's biological diversity. The Ministry is also tasks with regulating activities that may impact the environment, biodiversity, ecosystems, and public health.

Regional Political Coalitions

East African Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (EACREEE): East African Community established the East African Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (EACREEE) in 2016 to facilitate the creation of an enabling environment for renewable energy and energy efficiency markets and investments (EACREEE, 2020).

Eastern Africa Power Pool: Established in 2005, the Eastern African Power Pool (EAPP) convenes nations across Eastern Africa to coordinate cross-border power trade and grid interconnection. The thirteen member states include Burundi, Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Rwanda, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa: established through an initiative of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, BGFA aims to bring access to clean and affordable off-grid energy to 6 million people in Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mozambique, Uganda, and Zambia by 2025, building on the success of an earlier pilot program, the Beyond the Grid Fund for Zambia. The fund provides financing for companies offering off-grid solutions and offers technical assistance and capacity building for local energy authorities. It also collects market intelligence, including customers’ payment history, to help de-risk future investments in the countries concerned (BGFA, 2021).

Power Africa: Led by the United States Government through USAID, Power Africa aims to increase energy access and end energy poverty by compiling collective resources from the private sector, international development organizations, and governments. Power Africa aims to add 30,000 MW of clean electricity generation and add 60 million new home and business connections by 2030.

African Energy Commission: Launched in 2008, the commission is an African continental body in charge of ensuring, coordinating, and harmonizing the protection, conservation, development, rational exploitation, marketing and mainstreaming of energy resources on the African continent.

Energy Regulators Association of East Africa (EREA): Founded in 2008, the association aims to pool expertise in regulation relating to the energy sector for Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. The purpose includes but is not limited to facilitating the development of good policy proposals and legislation on energy regulation, in line with international trends and best regulatory practices.

EA Renewable Energy Federation (EAREF): Launched in 2018, the federation consists of renewable energy associations in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda

Permitting

Uganda

Uganda's Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) is the primary regulatory authority for energy permitting procedures. ERA grants seven types of licenses:

1. Generation license
2. Transmission license
3. Bulk supplier license
4. System operator license
5. Distribution license
6. Sale license
7. Explore and import license

The licensing procedure begins with a developer submitting a notice of intended application, which must provide a description of the project, associated timeline, review of land use, and a description of potential impacts on electricity supply, among other information. This is followed by the publication of notice of intended application in at least one widely circulated national newspaper within Uganda. ERA may then grant a permit to begin carrying out more thorough studies and other preparatory activities. As necessary, any subsequent renewal of the permit must occur within 90 days of expiration. Next, the developer or project owner must form an application for licensing, which requires similar information to that which was included in the initial permit but presented in greater detail. Assessments like environmental impact studies must be conducted in advance of this stage so that necessary information can be included in the application. A notice of application for license will be published in at least one widely circulated national newspaper. In some cases where ERA initiates a project deemed a public good, they may grant licenses via a competitive process where interested parties can bid. After these steps, licenses may be grated or refused, and licensees may be transferred with approval from the Authority.

Tanzania

Renewable energy projects that are constructed within a single site and total less than 1 MW and/or are off-grid do not need to apply for licenses like utility-scale projects in Tanzania do. Small power projects (SPP) have an export capacity of up to 10 MW and require the following steps and prerequisites:

1. Acquire a land title deed or lease for the land on which the project will be located
2. For hydropower projects, demonstrate water rights
3. Submit a letter of intent illustrating that the distribution network opertor has no objectives (in principle) to the interconnection of the project
4. Obtain permission to conduct business in Tanzania, which includes registering the company and collecting a business license and tax clearance certificate. SPP Developers must also apply for a business license from the Ministry responsible for trade.
5. Obtain building and construction permits
6. Complete an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
7. As appropriate, complete a Standardized Small Power Purchase Agreement with the distributed network operator
8. Obtain a license from the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA)
9. Submit an application for the approval of a cost-based tariff

Democratic Republic of Congo

For all business establishment, the Government of DRC has created a one-stop-shop called GUCE, which aims to streamline the process by creating an online tracking system encompassing all necessary government agencies. These agencies include the Notary's Office, the Registry of Commerce and Personal Property Credit Register, the Administration of Tax Authority (DGI), the Center for Ordination of the General Directorate of Administrative, (DGRAD), the National Economy Administration, the National Social Security Fund (CNSS), the Environment Administration, the National Employment Office (ONEM), the National Institute for Professional Preparation (INPP), the General Labor Inspectorate (IGT), and the Representation of Municipalities. Depending on the municipality of operation, an additional operating permit may be required. This process applies to all businesses in DRC and is not specific to electricity generating companies.

EACOP

EACOP has completed much of the permitting requirements in both Uganda and Tanzania. In January 2023, EACOP received a construction license for the project, which will initiate development of the pipeline. Other regulatory hurdles include:

• Signing of Inter-Governmental Agreement: Establishes a foundation for the project. Completed in May 2017.
• Geophysical and Geotechnical studies
• Environmental and Social Impact Assessments for both Uganda and Tanzania: Intended to identify and assess potential environmental, social, and health effects of a project, as well as potential mitigation methods the company will undertake. Approved by Tanzania in November 2019 and Uganda in November 2020.
• Front-End Engineering Design studies
• Signing of the Host Government Agreements: Signed by Uganda and Tanzania on April 11 and May 20 2021, respectively. Creates the legal and commercial framework for financing, constructing, and operating the project.
• The establishment of the East African Crude Oil Company Ltd, with shareholders TotalEnergies [62%], Uganda National Oil Company [15%], Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation [15%], and CNOOC [8%]. Completed in February 2022.
• Final Investment Decision: Completed in February 2022

Transmission

Current transmission resources

South Sudan

South Sudan lacks a national grid and is unlikely to have major transmission infrastructure in the coming years due to financial constrains and continued subnational conflict. Juba, the country's capital, has the only functional distribution grid, though it is still unaffordable to most residents with the highest electricity tariff in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2023, Uganda and South Sudan signed a power sales agreement to increase electricity trade between both countries. The 308-km, 400-kV Olwiyo-Juba power transmission line will connect the Olwiyo substation in northern Uganda to Juba, South Sudan.

Uganda

• Transmission: The transmission network has registered growth in previous years up to 2021. This has been maintained at 3,385 in 2021 with 220Kv lines at 1,002 Km, 132Km at 2,348Km, and 66Kv at 35 km.
• Distribution: Over the last five years, Uganda’s distribution network expanded by 39%, from a total length of 45,086 km in 2018 to 62,690 km in 2022. The low voltage lines (LV) have dominated the distribution network with 12% growth registered in 2022 compared to 2021.
• Off-grid Distributions: West Nile Rural Electrification Company Limited (WENRECO) and Kalangala Infrastructure Services (KIS) Limited are the leading Off-Grid (generate and sell) Electricity Distributors in Uganda. KIS operates a Hybrid Electricity Generation Plant comprising 1.0 MW of Diesel and 0.6 MW of Solar PV. WENRECO on the other hand, was majorly dependent on the 3.5 MW Nyagak 1 Hydropower Plant until 4th May 2019, when the Authority licensed 8 MW Electromaxx Thermal Plant through Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETCL). This was aimed at supplementing dispatch from Nyagak in an attempt to meet the growing demand in the region. Therefore, generation from WENRECO includes the dispatch from Nyagak 1 as well as energy purchases from UETCL. Overall, WENRECO and KIS generated 32.8 GWh during the year 2022, of which 27.1 GWh was sold to the end-users (Domestic = 44%, Commercial = 34%, and Industrial = 21%). The sales in 2022 grew by 12% as compared to sales in 2021.

Almost 30% of the population in Uganda lives in rural areas. However, research published in 2021 by the World Bank shows that the national electricity grid powers more than 70% of urban areas and only one-third of the population rural areas. Although the grid coverage has been increasing for the last decade, it is slower than the government's plan. This is because the high cost of grid electrification and long implementation times delay the grid projects. In this context, off-grid systems are of great importance to help Uganda fill the energy gap of access to energy in rural areas.

The Access Insights Platform presents a detailed map of both operating and proposed transmission and distribution line routes in Uganda. The mini-grid systems are also shown on the map.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

According to the IEA Africa energy outlook in 2019, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has the second-lowest electricity access rate in Africa. Less than 10% of the country's population has access to the grid, with mini-grids representing over half of all new connections in the alternating current (AC) grid.

By 2030, the government and the country’s parastatal utility company, the Société National d’Électricité (SNEL), have indicated the intent to increase access to over 32% of the population through the development of additional energy supplies, primarily hydroelectric and solar.

The DR Congo government has set an ambitious goal for its National Rural and Peri-urban Electrification and Energy Services Agency (ANSER) to connect an additional 15 million people to electrical energy by 2025.

Tanzania

Tanzania's Grid Network, 2019. Originally published in Tanzania's Power System Master Plan 2020 Update.

As of 2020, Tanzania had 5,896.3 kilometers of transmission lines throughout the country. In a 2020 update, the Power System Master Plan for Tanzania outlines upcoming transmission upgrades. In the short term, Tanzania will add 3,150.20 km of 400 kV, 1,833.70 km of 220 kV, and 920.80 km of 132 kV transmission lines. In the medium term, the country expects to add 2,444.45 km of 400 kV, 650.70 km of 220 kV, and 192.00 km of 132 kV transmission lines. In the long-term, Tanzania expects to add 610.00 km of 400 kV, 1,180.30 km of 220 kV, and 155.20 km of 132 kV lines.

Gridworks, a subsidiary of British International Investment, sign a memorandum of understanding with Larsen & Toubro Construction and the Tanzania Electric Supply Company indicating they would collaborate on the North East Grid project. The project is part of the Government of Tanzania's 2025 Power System Master Plan and will improve connections from the central, coastal, and northeastern regions of the country to the national grid. The project will consist of:

• 400 kV transmission line from Dodoma to Segera
• 220 kV transmission line from Segera to Tanga
• New substations at Segera and Tanga
• Upgrade of the Dodoma substation

Tanzania is also planning a transmission line connecting the national grid to that of Kenya's. The 507.5-km transmission line will allow for a transfer capacity of 2,000 MW and increase excess electricity trade between both nations. The project will cost USD $309 million (KSH 43 billion).

Tanzania has secured a $60 million (USD) loan from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund), with an additional $30 million from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, $12.8 million from the Saudi Fund for Development, and $2.6 million from the Tanzanian Government, to fund the Kagera Power Transmission Line. This line will allow power to be delivered from two in-development hydropower plants, Rusumo and Kakano, to consumers in Kagera. The project is expected to accelerate renewable energy penetration and increase energy reliability.

New transmission needed for renewables

Around 1.4 GW of solar installed capacity is available to the consumers in Uganda, but cannot be fully used due to a lack of proper transmission and distribution infrastructures. Uganda's Energy Transition Plan 2023 outlined that strong efforts is needed to develop the national grid and regional connectors.

South Sudan: Given that 15-20% of the national population is internally displaced, coupled with the dominance of agro-pastoralism, mobile energy solutions are especially important for electrifying the country.

Social and environmental impacts of new transmission

Projects like the Tanzania-Zambia Interconnector, which will be completed in 2026, will help connect Tanzania to abundant renewable resources across Eastern and Southern Africa. As a result, the project can help encourage industrialization, increase access to electricity in the Southwest of the country, and reduce poverty. It will also increase Tanzania's ability to engage in cross-border electricity trade while creating a contiguous transmission corridor from Southern Africa, through Zambia, and into Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Use of Mini-Grids, Pico-Solar, and Solar Home Systems in East Africa

Mini-grids may provide rural communities with clean, cheap, and reliable energy. This solar-powered mini-grid is connected to a rural village in Tanzania, as originally published by Greening Afrika.

Mini-grids can provide rural and difficult-to-connect communities with electricity. In Tanzania, approximately two-thirds of residents live in rural areas, and off-grid solar solutions would be especially helpful for drying, pumping, irrigation, cold storage, and solar fishing lanterns. More than 180,000 customers are served by 109 mini-grids, which provide 157.7 MW of electricity. Existing off-grid companies struggle with the technical capacity to manage and operate mini-grids. Despite barriers to access, solar is the most popular generation source in rural areas. For example, 75% of electrified households in the rural region of Lindi use solar energy.

Similarly to its neighboring countries, DR Congo relies on solar home systems and pico solar technology to compensate for the lack of transmission and distribution infrastructure. The leading pico-solar company in DR Congo is Altech Group, with 170,000 solar and clean-cooking technologies sold since 2013. By 2030, Altech Group aims to sell two million products to support the use of renewable energy and clean cooking resources for ten million people. Other active companies include d.light (about 87,450 sales since 2016), Ecomwinda (more than 35,000 since 2013), and Dev Solaire (more than 25,000 since 2016).

The UK government's Department for International Development (DFID) and the World Bank are committing significant funding to the development of mini-grids through 2024. DFID aims to support 33 solar mini-grids across the Democratic Republic of Congo through the “For an Environment Conducive to Investment” program (Pour Un Environnement Propice a l’Investissement en DRC [ESSOR]) program and the World Bank plans to develop mini-grids in all electrified provincial capitals and major population centers through its Energy Access and Services Expansion (EASE) program. The Universal Energy Facility (UEF) launched its mini-grid program in the DR Congo in October 2022.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, mini-grid development is hindered by political instability, lack of regulatory frameworks, general difficulties in doing business within the country, and relatively limited financing and investment. Mobile banking is not as prevalent in DRC as in neighboring countries, so consumer financing is largely not available.

While only a few PV mini-grids are operational, Uganda has earmarked more than 600 mini-grids to be developed by 2030 as part of the national electrification strategy. Given how expensive grid connections are, averaging about $300, the Government of Uganda adopted a policy of free connections, which aims to increase demand and thus spur mini-grid interest and expansion. Solar home systems have also been popular and contribute significantly to household electrification, with 2020 seeing 38% of the population using solar energy (up from 18% in 2017). More than 200 solar home system and pico-solar companies operate in Uganda.

In Uganda, the Utilities 2.0 initiative is a partnership between the privately owned distribution utility (Umeme), a private developer (Equatorial Power), Power for All, EnerGrow, and the Rockefeller Foundation. It aims to strengthen collaboration between existing distribution utilities and private renewables-based mini-grid developers. In this case, the private sector owns and operates the mini-grid and connects to the network offered by the existing distribution utility. The first pilot mini-grid under the program – comprising 40 kW of solar and a 140 kWh battery – was commissioned in Kiwumu. It supplies 300 households along with local enterprises. The anchor load for the mini-grid is a containerized milling and dryer unit consuming about a quarter of the power generated (Cohn, 2021). This project approach also allows the national distribution system operator to monitor metering, which can help ensure high technical standards and future interoperability while minimizing costs.

IRENA's report reveals that East Africa has four times more users of decentralized systems than West Africa and nearly eight times more than Southern Africa. Uganda constitutes 16% of the total, while Tanzania accounts for 9.5%. Solar lights make up 75.6% of these decentralized systems, followed by solar home systems with 22.5%.

In 2021, London-based off-grid utility company Winch Energy closed financing for a $16 million project to install 49 mini-grids serving more than 60,000 residents, plus portable batteries, in Sierra Leone and Uganda. The deployed sites in Uganda are in the Lamwo area. African debt-funding investor Sunfunder will provide a $2 million construction loan for the project, and unspecified portion is subsidized by the German development ministry, the BMZ (Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung) providing the same support for the Ugandan locations,

Supply Chain

In Uganda, locally owned pico-solar and solar home system companies design, assemble , and sell modular components locally. Large companies import their components as needed. Most companies operate in the central, eastern, and western parts of Uganda, though a presence exists in the north to a lesser extent. Uganda also contains nickel reserves, which are important for the energy transition.

Tanzania's state-owned utility, TANESCO, is responsible for mainland Tanzania's electricity supply chain. Off-grid solar components are imported, and quality concerns of the products have become a challenge. Tanzania has adopted a strategy of downstream processing minerals before export to global markets, in an effort to add value. Tanzania has abundant graphite, nickel, and uranium deposits.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has substantial gold, cobalt, high-quality copper, and diamond reserves. In 2020, DRC produced 41% of the world's cobalt, a key material used in electric vehicle batteries. The average electric vehicle battery and phone battery require 13 kilograms and 7 grams of cobalt, respectively, and global demand has tripled since 2010. International mining companies have taken a great interest in both the low costs and high quality products of DRC mining. However, the expansion of mining operations, particularly cobalt for batteries, had resulted in significant exploitation human rights abuses for miners and nearby communities (see "Potential impacts/benefits from renewables expansion"). In 2023, DRC set to increase cobalt production by 60% compared to 2020. Much of DRC's cobalt production is owned by foreign companies, with Chinese businesses controlling 72% of global cobalt refining.

In December of 2022, the United States, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to further develop an integrated value chain for the production of electric vehicle batteries. This will consist of feasibility studies, consultations, financing and co-financing, and technical assistance.

Finance

While 20% of the global population lives in Africa, the continent only receives about 2% of all clean energy financing, and investments have fallen in recent years. Similarly, all African countries made up less than 3% of all Clean Development Mechanism recipients globally, with Egypt, South Africa, Uganda, and Kenya receiving 83% of those.

Approximately USD $28 million in concessional capital (more than 10x more than spending today) will be required to encourage private investment across Africa's clean energy sectors by 2030. Also, by 2030, renewable energy investing in Africa must more than double relative to today's USD $90 million. According to the International Energy Agency, "the cost of capital in African countries for clean energy projects is often more than two to three times higher than in North America or Europe," meaning that clean energy projects in the African continent generally need to generate higher returns in order to justify the initial investment itself.

According to BNEF, African countries collectively received USD 55 billion between 2010 and 2020. Uganda accounted for only around 0.5% to 1.7% of this amount, while Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo each received less than 0.5% of the total funding.

The region needs more investment and resources to develop its renewable energy infrastructures and projects. By 2016, only three electricity utilities in Sub-Saharan Africa had an investment-grade credit rating: Namibia, Uganda, and Seychelles. Most African utilities are not able to charge cost-reflective tariffs, with the exception of these three.

Feed-in tariffs (FiTs) are not widely implemented in Africa – they have only been adopted in about 14 countries, and they have resulted in meaningful utility-scale investments in only 4 countries (Egypt, Kenya, Namibia, and Uganda), for a total of around 2 GW from solar PV, onshore wind, biomass, and small hydropower. All four countries have transitioned or will be transitioning to competitive procurement methods for future projects, aiming for lower tariffs. Tanzania's regulatory bodies have created a technology-agnostic feed-in tariff to encourage investment in solar-powered mini-grids. Access to financing, particularly for low-income consumers, and quality of imported products are both challenges to mini-grid and off-grid development.

Additionally, Tanzania projects that USD $500 million will required each year to address current climate risk, though that figure is expected to balloon to USD $1 billion per year by 2030. Impacts of climate change will cost approximately 1-2% off Tanzania's GDP by 2030.

Existing Funds for Africa's Clean Energy Transition
Fund	Size	Applicable Sectors	Applicable Countries	Details
Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund	USD $1.25 billion	Renewable Energy	All of Africa, with closed projects in Uganda, Tanzania, DRC, Ghana, and others.	Blended finance. Housed within the Private Infrastructure Development Group. Provides long-term debt to finance infrastructure projects in Africa.
GET.invest	USD $2 billion	Renewable Energy, energy access, energy efficiency, e-mobility, low-emissions hydrogen	Sub-Saharan Africa	Investment prep advisory support. Helps energy projects and companies toward bankability, then connects them to financiers.
Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA)	USD $95 million	Renewable energy, energy access, energy efficiency	All	Concessional finance, results-based finance, and technical assistance. SEFA is a multi-donor special fund that provides technical assistance, project preparation support, and finance.
Spark+ Africa	USD $64 million	Clean cooking, energy access	Sub-Saharan Africa	Growth capital and technical assistance. Addressed the clean cooking gap in Africa.

Providers of wind/solar finance

In East Africa, renewabes made up 95% of the USD 11.1 billion invested in 2010-2019. Hydropower accounted for 36% of that, followed by geothermal at 21%, wind at 14% and solar at 9%. Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda are among some of the highest recipients. Across both decades, in countries in East Africa, renewables continued to dominate public investment portfolios.

From 2010 to 2020, Tanzania received off-grid renewable energy investments totaling USD 119 million, and Uganda received USD 54 million (Wood Mackenzie, 2021).

In 2020, a USD 90 million investment was committed to Greenlight Planet Inc. to expand its operations. That single commitment has delivered over 1.3 million PAYG solar products in Kenya, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, and Nigeria (Business Wire, 2020).

Uganda

• Uganda's Energy Transition Plan (ETP), updated in 2023, stated that the country will need annual investments of around USD 850 million to achieve universal access to electricity and clean cooking by 2030.

• The Renewable Energy Challenge Fund: managed by the United Nations Capital Development Fund and funded by the Swedish Embassy in Uganda. It provides co-financing for decentralized solar PV solutions in Uganda, focusing on underserved, low-income customers in rural and peri-urban areas. Its goal is to help 153,000 Ugandans transition to renewable energy while creating 1,000 new jobs. Grants range from USD 100,000 to USD 500,000 per project (UNCDF, 2021).

Uganda’s Rural Electrification Agency partnered with Tiger Power, a Belgian company, to supply solar power to three villages in the Kyenjojo District. Using hydrogen batteries, the project stores excess solar energy from the day to power villages through the night.

Reaching universal electricity access in Uganda by 2030 will require connecting approximately 6.1 million new customers between 2019 and 2030 and a minimum of USD 5.5 billion of investment for both on- and off-grid connections (GCEEP, 2020). Beyond capital investments, public funding is also necessary to bridge the affordability gap. In Uganda’s case, an affordability gap of USD 329 million for Tier 1 solar home systems has been estimated over ten years (SEforAll, 2019b). Integrated plans can also identify priority areas for matching energy supply with demand for productive uses and for expanding the use of electricity for cooking.

Some local monetary institutions such as Centenary Bank, Equity Bank, and Stanbic offer renewable energy credit lines and are working with off-grid solar companies to finance end-users directly. Additionally, proliferation of mobile money mechanisms has helped Uganda develop a microfinance sector, with some institutions working with off-grid companies to help distribute solar products.

The European Investment Bank, or EIB, and French energy group Engie agreed on a new off-grid solar scheme. It aims to provide a $12.5 million loan to support the deployment of 240,000 high-quality solar home systems in Uganda by Fenix International, a subsidiary of ENGIE.

The African Development Bank is also coordinating the development of green financing facilities, in collaboration with local banks in Uganda. This initiative is supported by the African Green Finance Facility Fund.

Tanzania

Approximately USD $160 billion is required for Tanzania to reach 100% renewable energy for electricity, buildings, and industry by 2050. Tanzania is eligible for several international climate funds, namely Global Environment Facility, Adaptation Fund, Least Developed Countries Fund, and Green Climate Fund, the last of which has provided about $2 billion in non-repayable financial support for climate change-related projects.

Domestically, Tanzania launched the Local Climate Finance Initiative to provide local government authorities with access to climate financing. The goal of this funding is to build "verifiable climate-resilient local economies and communities." Additionally, the Tanzania Investment Bank and Bank of Africa have renewable energy credit lines.

A major challenge is the lack of engagement from private sector actors in climate change activities, like renewable energy development.

The $209 million Tanzania Rural Electrification Expansion Program is funded by the International Development Association and the Scaling up Renewable Energy Program (SREP) in Low Income Countries of the Strategic Climate Fund.

Additionally, 56% of Tanzanians have access to financing products and services, with 55% of residents having access to mobile money platforms. This can be paired with pay-as-you-go mechanisms and can contribute to microfinancing. Two organizations, the Tanzania Association of Microfinance Institutions (TAMFI) and the Savings and Credit Cooperative Union League of Tanzania (SCCULT), are supporting microfinance and plan to provide solar-sector training to members.

Democratic Republic of Congo

USAID financial initiatives in DR Congo:

• Enabled the establishment of 78,155 new grid and off-grid direct connections (10,386 in FY 2020).
• Mobilized a $2.25 million USD investment for clean energy projects, providing opportunities for off-grid companies using mini solar technology in the DRC.

Other finances

• Africa's renewable-powered metro grid company, Nuru, announced a financial close of over $40 million dollars in July 2023. The funding is expected to be implemented on the three transformational projects in Goma, Kindu, and Bunia, which will have a combined capacity of 13.7 MWp. The Bunia site will become the largest off-grid solar hybrid metro grid in sub-Saharan Africa.
• The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) has signed its first agreement with an energy service company, Alternative Energy Technologies Group (Altech), in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to accelerate access to clean energy in remote areas of the country. The results-based financing to be provided by BGFA aims to leverage some EUR 20 million in other financing. The planned project is expected to provide more than 300,000 people with access to electricity while helping the company reach its overall goal of distributing over 1 million clean energy products by the end of 2025.
• The UEF recently signed the first grant agreement for USD 3.8 million with Electrilac S.A.S, a subsidiary of Green Enesys, with the goal of providing 6,500 new electricity connections and installing 2.5 MW of renewable energy capacity. These connections are expected to positively impact over 30,000 people, providing them with new or improved access to electricity.

Other

In 2013, Germany’s development bank, KfW, and Uganda’s Energy Regulatory Authority (ERA) procured 15 projects (120 MW) – mostly small hydropower, but also bagasse and biomass. 14 Projects received front-loaded premium payments – 50% of the total premium payments on reaching commercial operation, with the remaining 50% spread over the first 5 years of the project’s operating life - on top of the established FiT. The contracts, tariff levels, and regulatory framework have since been used to contract further small hydropower and solar PV projects outside of the GET FiT program. Recent regulatory amendments have, however, indicated that all utility-scale solar projects will need to be procured competitively. A competitive round for solar PV was launched in 2014, resulting in two 10 MW projects being commissioned in 2016 (Kruger, et al., 2018).

The Global Energy Transfer Feed-in Tariff (GET FiT) program implemented a hybrid FiT-auction program in Uganda in 2014 – leading to more than 20 MW of solar PV capacity (USD 164/MWh).

Renewable energy feed-in tariff prices in Uganda, IRENA and AfDB (2022)

Additionally, in 2019, the World Bank provided a grant of USD $4.5 million to improve solar pumping systems in 165 Tanzanian villages, aimed at increasing access to clean water. Similarly, in 2022, South Sudan received USD $50 million from the World Bank to implement its Energy Access Project which is intended to increase access to electricity services and strengthen the institutional capacity of the electricity sector.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has a very low banking participation rate (~6%), which limits financing for solar. Increased mobile money availability and financing mechanisms designed specifically for off-grid solar can increase adoption.

Articles and resources

• Access Insights Platform: map shows lighting sources(including solar), cooking fuels, transmission, and distribution systems in Uganda.

• IRENA Solar City Simulator: Kasese City in Uganda is depicted on the map, highlighting the potential for rooftop solar power. The map provides details on financing resources and the payback period for individual households to facilitate calculations.

• Renewable Energy Investment Guide: Uganda's Electricity Regulatory Authority has published a Renewable Energy Investment Guide which provides an overview of the legal framework, licensing, permitting, policies, and opportunities for developing renewable energy.

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