EAC partners grapple with energy shortage amid rich reservoirs

Although the potential to meet its energy demands exist, and a regional power master plan is in place, the East African Community’s installed electricity capacity is still very low.

And, that is not to say the region is not endowed with various energy resources spread evenly through out partner states, but they remain underdeveloped, unexplored and untapped.

Tanzania has natural gas; Uganda has oil, Kenya -geothermal, Rwanda-methane gas, there is coal in Kenya and Tanzania as well as peat in Burundi while together all partner states have hydro, wind and renewable energy resources.

These resources put the EAC region’s energy potential at 27,000MW against an electricity-installed capacity of only 1,950MW, according to Dr Nyamajeje Weggoro, director productive sectors at the EAC secretariat.

Inadequate transmission

As such access to power is low in the region at 15-20 per cent due to high tariffs and inadequate transmission, consumption is at 75-100kWh/capita compared to the world’s average 2,752kWh per capita.

“Energy security plays a facilitative and catalytic role in economic growth competitiveness. Development of energy resources is, therefore, crucial for stimulating investments in the region,” said Dr. Nyamajeje Weggoro.

At 1,300MW, hydropower remains the highest installed energy resource in the EAC region and methane gas the least while the highest potential lies in 7,900MW of geothermal energy, almost entirely found in Kenya.

But the region also has a high potential for oil and gas in its Albertine Graben region, with 28 prospective sedimentary basins out of which Uganda has 6, Kenya 4, Burundi 2, Rwanda 1 and Tanzania has 15 sedimentary basins covering coastal, deep sea and inland basins.

Fred Kabagambe-Kaliisa the permanent secretary Ministry of Energy, said oil and gas products have an important role in meeting regional energy demands.

Exploration stage

The partner states are at the oil and gas exploration stage. So far, the oil discoveries are estimated at 2.5 billion barrels in Uganda and are projected to reach five billion.

Natural gas resources are potentially at three trillion cubic feet, mainly in Tanzania.

Experts say these resources are adequate to provide for the EAC partners states’ fuel supplies for the next 30 years.

But the partner states have to work together and strategically.