Uganda kicks off solar tender for 40 PV-powered water supply schemes

In November, the Ugandan Ministry of Water and Environment launched an auction inviting developers to build 40 solar energy water supply schemes across 40 locations in the East African country, according to tender documents.

The four lots include:

1. The supply, installation and commissioning of 10 PV energy packages for water supply schemes across 10 locations in the country’s center;
2. The supply, installation and commissioning of 10 PV energy packages for water supply schemes across 10 locations in the country’s southwest;
3. The supply, installation and commissioning of 10 PV energy packages for water supply schemes across 10 locations in the country’s south and;
4. The supply, installation and commissioning of 10 PV energy packages for water supply schemes across 10 locations in the country’s east.

The deadline for applications is Jan. 17, 2024.

The World Bank provided $638 million of funding to support the Ugandan government’s Electricity Access Scale-up Project (EASP), according to local media reports. This is a five-year initiative to connect households, refugee and host communities, and other dwellings to electricity. Only 45.2% of the country's 45.85 million population had access to electricity in 2021, according to the World Bank.

Uganda recorded 94 MW of installed PV capacity at the end of last year, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).