Karuma Power Station
| Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station | |
|---|---|
 Map of Uganda showing the location of Karuma Falls
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| Country | Uganda |
| Location | Karuma Falls |
| Coordinates | 02°14′37″N 32°14′46″E / 2.24361°N 32.24611°ECoordinates: 02°14′37″N 32°14′46″E / 2.24361°N 32.24611°E |
| Status | Under construction |
| Construction cost | US$2.2 billion |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Victoria Nile |
| Height | 20 |
| Length | 312 |
| Spillways | 8 |
| Reservoir | |
| Normal elevation | 1,000 m (3,300 ft) |
| Power station | |
| Commission date | 2018 (expected) |
| Type | Run-of-the-river |
| Turbines | 6 x 100 MW (Francis) |
| Installed capacity | (planned) 600 MW (800,000 hp) |
The Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station is a 600 megawatts (800,000 hp) hydroelectric power project under construction in Uganda. When completed, it will be the largest power-generating installation in the country.
The power station is located at Karuma Falls on the Victoria Nile, at the present location of the Karuma Falls. This location is approximately 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) upstream of where the Masindi-Gulu Highway crosses the Nile. By road, it is approximately 97 kilometres (60 mi) northeast of Masindi and 77 kilometres (48 mi) south of Gulu.
As far back as 1995, the government of Uganda planned to construct a hydropower station at the site of the Karuma Falls. Initially, Norpak, a Norwegian energy company, was awarded the contract to perform the feasibility study and the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the dam. The World Bank 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 megawatt power station.
In 2009, the plans were redrawn, calling for a much larger project of 750 megawatts. Sometime during 2009, Norpak pulled out of the negotiations with the Ugandan government, citing the Global Recession of 2008 to 2012.
The Ugandan government then contracted with Energy Infratech Private Limited to perform a new feasibility study and a new EIA, given that a larger power station was now being planned. At that time, construction was expected to start in 2012 and last six years.
In July 2011, media reports indicated that the maximum capacity of the project had been scaled back to 600 megawatts from 750 megawatts. Some international development partners wanted to scale back even further, to a maximum capacity of 400 to 450 megawatts.
In January 2011, Energy Infratech Private Limited, the Indian company contracted to perform the feasibility study for the project, said the estimated total cost for the dam and power plant was approximately US $2.2 billion. That figure included the cost needed to build a transmission line from Karuma to a location where the power will be integrated into the national power grid.
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Wikipedia