UECCC managing director confirms launch of price subsidy program for clean energy technologies

2 December 2024, 3:37 pm

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The managing director, Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company (UECCC), Mr. Roy Baguma Nyamutale, during a media briefing today at Uganda Media Centre, has revealed that they are going to launch an initiative which will benefit Ugandans from price discount in order to access various clean and modern energy solution.

According to the Mr. Baguma, they are going to officially launch this on Thursday, this week in Kiboga district. “UECCC is the Implementing agency of the financial intermediation component of the Electricity Access Scale Up project founded by the World Bank and the government of Uganda. The Price Subsidy Program is one of the programs under the financial intermediation component.” Nyamutale said.

The Price Subsidy Program will address the affordability barrier associated with the upfront cost of acquiring clean Energy Technologies by household and enterprises. “Ugandans are set to benefit from price discounts for eligible clean energy technologies. Specifically, prices for off-grid solar systems for lighting, charging and productive use of energy as well as clean technologies will be discounted.” he confirmed.

The agency continues to say that solar lantern prices will be discounted by 60% and the prices for solar systems with two light bulbs will be discounted by 50%. Clean cooking solution prices powered by solar, briquettes, ethanol, biogas and liquefied petroleum gas will be discounted by 30% to 50% depending on the technology. Productive uses of energy equipment such as water pumping, irrigation, refrigeration and cooling, water heating and grain milling will have prices discounted by 60%.

To date, UECCC has partnered with sixty seven energy service companies. The selected companies will use market-based approaches to deliver the price discounts to Ugandans and refugees. “The UECCC and World Bank pre-selection of companies is set to ensure that only companies that supply quality products certified by Uganda National Bureau of Standards can participate in the program. The list of participating companies is expected to grow as more companies express interest to participate. The companies have been selected to ensure a wide geographical outreach across Uganda.” he said.

The program aims to enhance access to electricity most especially in the rural and remote area of Uganda. “We are committed to imploring every Ugandan to embrace the program and access clean, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy.” he said. UECCC intends to undertake countrywide regional sensitisation and market awareness activities to ensure maximum publicity of the initiative.

It should be remembered that UECCC is a government of Uganda company in place to catalyse financing for renewable energy projects and increased access to clean and modern energy services. The company is well-positioned to pool resources from government and development partners and to channel the same to catalyse financing for development and implementation of projects and access programs.