The minister of state for energy Simon D’jang has explained the high cost of electricity in the country saying government is reviewing UMEMEcontract .

This follows mps and public demand  for UMEME to be denied being monopoly in power supply

Responding to the mps concern over high cost of power on the floor of parliament D’jang said that the decision to have expensive power was taken from parliament saying that government had no alternative but to accept to pay high tariffs.

He says that the country was in the crisis of power supply and therefore they had to accept to use fuel to generate more electricity. He told parliament that high tariff is due to fuel prices which have increased drastically in the few years.

He however says that with the commissioning of hydro electricity and decommissioning of some stations which use fuel, Uganda will see electricity prices reduced.

The post Government blames high fuel prices for high electricity tariffs first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The committee on Natural Resources made the decision following a meeting with officials from the Energy ministry over the tariffs.

The committee chairman, Michael Werikhe revealed that the MPs had resolved to summon the companies following public outcry over the high charges of electricity.

Some of the companies and agencies to be appear before the committee is UMEME, the Electricity Regulatory Authority and the Electricity Distribution and Transmission companies.

Werikhe says the MPs want to establish the actual cost of electricity and also ensure that the ordinary Ugandan does not feel cheated.

The country is currently facing load shedding following an announcement by UMEME due to lack of fuel supply at the thermal power plants.

Ultimate Media

The post Electricity bodies summoned to explained high power prices first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The ministry of finance energy last week requested parliament to approve a supplementary budget of 62 billion shillings to enable the ministry of energy pay the thermo power suppliers.

However the budget was rejected by MPs on grounds that parliament had not received accountability for the 92 billion shillings which they approved in April for the same purpose.

The matter was referred to the committee of budget and natural resources. One of the members on this committee also mp for Rwampara Vincent Mujuni Kyamadidi says they need the minister to first explain why there is load shedding yet the money which was approved could run the power supply companies up to September this year.

Uganda is currently facing an acute power crisis which economic experts are worried will slow down the country’s economic growth.

By Isaac Senabulya

The post Energy minister to appear before parliament over load shedding first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.