Final unit of Chinese-built power plant in Uganda connected to national grid

This photo taken on Feb. 6, 2024 shows the facilities of the Chinese-built Karuma Hydropower Plant in Kiryandongo, Uganda. Uganda on Tuesday successfully launched the last unit of six turbines at the Chinese-built Karuma Hydropower Plant and synchronized it on the national grid, the country's electricity generation agency said. (Photo by Wang Jian/Xinhua)

KAMPALA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Uganda on Tuesday successfully launched the last unit of six turbines at the Chinese-built Karuma Hydropower Plant and synchronized it on the national grid, the country's electricity generation agency said.

Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL), a state-owned enterprise, posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the unit, which can generate 100 megawatts (MW), was successfully synchronized to the national grip Tuesday morning.

"This makes it the sixth and last generating unit to undergo all the operational tests for readiness," wrote UEGCL.

The electricity generation company said the first unit of the power plant completed its trial run and grid connection tests on March 21, 2023.

The power plant, constructed both on the surface and underground below the River Nile in northern Uganda, is expected to generate 600 MW, with each turbine generating 100 MW, according to the Ministry of Energy.

The Karuma Hydropower Plant is one of Uganda's flagship projects financed by the Export-Import Bank of China, which financed 85 percent of the project and the remaining 15 percent was from the Ugandan government.

The plant, according to experts, is critical in meeting the East African country's increasing electricity demand in efforts to accelerate industrialization.

Karuma is the second power plant financed by China after the 183 MW Isimba Hydropower Plant commissioned in 2019.