West Nile Rural Electrification Company
| Private | |
| Industry |
Electric Power Generation & Distribution |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Arua, Uganda |
| Products | Electricity |
West Nile Rural Electrification Company Limited (WENRECO), is an electric energy generating and distribution company in the West Nile sub-region, in Northern Uganda.[1] WENRECO is a subsidiary of Industrial Promotion Services (IPS), the industrial development arm of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED). AKFED is a member of the Aga Khan Development Network.
Overview
In 2003, WENRECO, through competitive bidding, won a concession to generate, distribute and sell electricity in West Nile, consisting of eight districts and home to an estimated 2.3 million people. The company owns a 1.5MW heavy fuel electric generator and is part-owner and operator of Nyagak I Power Station.
WENRECO is the implementer and co-funder of the West Nile Rural Electrification Project, which was initiated in 2013. The Project targeted electrification of 30 health centers, 60 schools, 250 businesses and 6,000 households between 2013 and 2015. Funding for the project was provided by the Government of Uganda, the German Development Bank (KfW), WENRECO and the Energy Facility Pooling Mechanism.[2]
In 2013, WENRECO began switching the 4,000 customers, that it had at that time, to pre-paid metering service.[3]
Power stations
WENRECO operates two power stations: WENRECO heavy fuel thermal plant with capacity of 1.5 Megawatts, located in Ewuata, Arua District and Nyagak I Power Station, a 3.5 Megawatts mini-hydropower station, located in Paidha, Zombo District. These two facilities are currently the main public electric power sources available to the West Nile sub-region, which is not yet connected to the national grid. Connection to the national grid is expected following the completion of Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station around 2018.
Ownership
WENRECO is a 100% subsidiary of Industrial Promotion Services (IPS), a member of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED).[4]