Alstom to supply equipment to Uganda

Under the turnkey contract signed with Italian civil works constructor Salini Hydro Ltd, Alstom Hydro will provide five turbine/generator units, control and protection systems and balance of plant. Manufacturing will be shared among the GroupÂ’s facilities in France, Switzerland and India. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2011.

The Bujagali run-of-river scheme will reuse the water released from two existing upstream hydro plants, Nalubaale (180 MW) and Kiira (200 MW), which are currently the countryÂ’s only important electricity generating facilities. Once commissioned, Bujagali is expected to relieve UgandaÂ’s acute power shortage.

The project is a public-private partnership between the Government of Uganda, a state-owned transmission company UETCL, and Bujagali Energy Ltd, a consortium of private sponsors. The project is backed by multilateral financial institutions including the World Bank, the European Development Bank and the African Development Bank.

Bujagali is Alstom HydroÂ’s second project in Uganda after the Kiira hydropower plant (formerly known as the Owen Falls extension) where the company supplied most of the generation equipment. The companyÂ’s other references in Africa include Cahora Bassa (2075 MW) in Mozambique, Victoria Falls (108 MW), Kafue Gorge (900 MW) and Kariba (600 MW) in Zambia.

Philippe Cochet, President of Alstom Hydro, said: “This contract reinforces Alstom’s presence in Africa where we have been building hydro plants for decades. Our successes there are due to our offer of integrated solutions and advanced technology.”