Karuma Power Station
Encyclopedia
Location
The Power Station will be located at KarumaKaruma
-Location:Karuma is located on the Victoria Nile, at the present location of the Karuma Falls. This location is adjacent to the location where the Masindi-Gulu Highway, crosses the river Nile. It is approximately , by road, northeast of Masindi and approximately , by road, south of Gulu...
, on the Victoria Nile, at the present location of the Karuma Falls. This location is adjacent to the location where the Masindi
Masindi
Masindi is a town in Western Uganda, which lies on the road from Kampala to the Murchison Falls National Park. It is the 'chief town' of the Masindi District and the district headquarters are located there...
-Gulu
Gulu
Gulu is a city in Northern Uganda. It is the commercial and administrative centre of Gulu District. The city is located at 2˚46'48N 32˚18'00E, on the metre gauge railway from Tororo to Pakwach. Gulu is located approximately , by road, north of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city...
Highway, crosses the river Nile. It is approximately 110 kilometres (68.4 mi), by road, northeast of Masindi
Masindi
Masindi is a town in Western Uganda, which lies on the road from Kampala to the Murchison Falls National Park. It is the 'chief town' of the Masindi District and the district headquarters are located there...
and approximately 70 kilometres (43.5 mi), by road, south of Gulu
Gulu
Gulu is a city in Northern Uganda. It is the commercial and administrative centre of Gulu District. The city is located at 2˚46'48N 32˚18'00E, on the metre gauge railway from Tororo to Pakwach. Gulu is located approximately , by road, north of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city...
. The coordinates of Karuma Power Station are:02 14 35N, 32 14 42E (Latitude:2.2430; Longitude:32.2450).
History
As far back as 1995, the Uganda Government had plans to construct a hydropower station at the site of the Karuma Falls. Initially, Norpak, a NorwegianNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
Energy Company was awarded the contract to perform the feasibility study and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the dam. The World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
promised to make a loan available to pay for the construction. The feasibility study report was made available in October 2006. Bids for construction of the project went out in November 2006. Initially, the plan was to build a 200-250 MW power station.
In 2009, the plans were redrawn, calling for a much larger project of 750 MW. Sometime during 2009, Norpak, the original proposed developers of the smaller 200MW project, pulled out of negotiations with the Uganda Government, citing the Global Recession of 2008/2009. The Uganda Government then contracted Energy Infratech Pvt. Limited, to perform a new Feasibility Study and a new Environmental Impact Assessment, given the new larger power station that is now planned. Construction is now expected to start in May 2011 and last five (5) years. The Government of Uganda will fund the project, without outside help, if need be.
In July 2011, media reports indicated that the maxinmum capacity of the project had been scaled back to 600MW from 750MW. Some International development partners wanted to scale back even further, to a maximum capacitty of 400 to 450MW.
Construction costs
In January 2011, Energy Infratech Private Limited, the IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n company contracted to perform the feasibility study for the project, published their report. The estimated total cost for the dam and power plant is approximately US$2.2 billion. That figure includes the cost needed to build a transmission line from Karuma
Karuma
-Location:Karuma is located on the Victoria Nile, at the present location of the Karuma Falls. This location is adjacent to the location where the Masindi-Gulu Highway, crosses the river Nile. It is approximately , by road, northeast of Masindi and approximately , by road, south of Gulu...
to a location where the power will be integrated into the national power grid. Available reports now indicate that construction will begin in in May 2012.
External links
- Potential Hydropower Projects in Uganda
- Construction of Karuma Power Station Started in July 2010
- Karuma Hydropower Project Raises Capacity
Photos & Diagrams
- Photo of Karuma Falls at Gorillatales.com
- Preliminary Work at Construction Site (From Monitor.co.ug)
See also
- List of power stations in Uganda
- List of hydropower stations in Africa
- List of hydroelectric power stations
- KarumaKaruma-Location:Karuma is located on the Victoria Nile, at the present location of the Karuma Falls. This location is adjacent to the location where the Masindi-Gulu Highway, crosses the river Nile. It is approximately , by road, northeast of Masindi and approximately , by road, south of Gulu...
- GuluGuluGulu is a city in Northern Uganda. It is the commercial and administrative centre of Gulu District. The city is located at 2˚46'48N 32˚18'00E, on the metre gauge railway from Tororo to Pakwach. Gulu is located approximately , by road, north of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city...
- MasindiMasindiMasindi is a town in Western Uganda, which lies on the road from Kampala to the Murchison Falls National Park. It is the 'chief town' of the Masindi District and the district headquarters are located there...