ERA, Stakeholders Discuss the Electricity Supply Industry Local Content

The Electricity Regulatory Authority(ERA) , a government agency that regulates, licenses, and supervises the generation, transmission, distribution, sale, export, and importation of electrical energy in Uganda has on Wednesday 10 November 2022 held the Electricity Supply Industry Local Content Forum 2022 under the theme; “Enhancing Local Content in Uganda’s Electricity Supply Industry for Social-Economic Transformation”.

In partnership with the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) and the National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), ERA held the Forum at Mestil Hotel Kampala to create a platform for stakeholders to interact and exchange ideas, views, and experiences on how to enhance Local Content in the Electricity Supply Industry, document challenges and opportunities of increasing Local content in the Electricity Supply Industry as well as provide updates on the progress of the Electricity Supply Industry.

Speaking at the Forum, the State Minister for Energy, Hon. Sidronius Okaasai said that the Forum was organized at the right time when the government is promoting the buying and using of products manufactured in Uganda under the BUBU Policy.

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He, however, noted that there is a need to manufacture high quality products for the electricity infrastructure as poor-quality products will frustrate government efforts to ensure efficiency, quality of service, access, and affordability of Electricity services.

‘’The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development will continue to work with other stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Trade, to ensure that standards are enforced and adhered to by local manufacturers. He commended ERA and other stakeholders for organizing the Forum’’, noted Hon. Okaasai.

The ERA Board Chairperson, Dr. Sarah Wasagali Kanaabi, emphasized that ERA believes in and supports the use of high-quality locally manufactured equipment installed on the electricity network. She applauded His Excellency of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, for always supporting and prioritizing the Electricity sub-Sector, which has enabled the creation of a conducive regulatory environment that is a benchmark on the whole continent of Africa.

The ERA CEO, Eng. Ziria Tibalwa Waako noted that ERA is in the process of documenting manufacturers of equipment needed in the Electricity sub-Sector. She further indicated that ERA targets to have Local content guidelines to guide the entire process of acquiring locally manufactured electricity infrastructure equipment from manufacturers. She urged manufacturers to provide all the necessary information to ERA.

The Forum was attended by a wide range of local manufacturers and licensees who applauded ERA, PPDA, and UNBS for organizing the Forum and pledged to cooperate and provide all the necessary information needed.