In an initiative to reduce energy consumption in the country, the government through the Electricity Regulatory Authority launched a campaign to distribute three super energy saving bulbs in exchange of other three usual bulbs from households. This has been done in an effort to serve at least 85% of the lighting consumption.
Minister for energy and mineral development Irene Muloni launched the campaign at UMEME offices in Lugogo. But on condition starting with Kampala south region (which has parts like Entebbe, Makindye, Munyonyo, Kansanga and Gaba) a household to receive these bulbs must be having an account with UMEME.
Despite the intention only to bash out three bulbs per household, though some households use more than three, minister Irene Muloni appealed to them to buy more for themselves but they should look for genuine ones.
“We shall work hand in hand with Uganda National Bureau of Standards to have qualitative bulbs on market,” said Muloni who added that the government is aware of fake products.
The bulbs designed to last for 15 year, provide better quality of light and they are environmental friendly whereby, they don’t contain mercury like the current energy saver bulbs.
Muloni explained that project started in Kampala reason being; it is a densely populated area and also Kampala consumes 75% of the generated power in Uganda but in a nutshell the government wants power accessibility and affordability to all Ugandans that is why these bulbs have been introduced. Muloni said
[signoff icon=”quote-circled”]“Our mandate is to improve accessibility to energy so that ultimately all Ugandans have access to electricity. To achieve this we have established various potential energy resources in the country. But also crucial to our strategy is managing the consumption and the newest lighting technology, LED bulbs will be distributed from July,” [/signoff]
The first roll out will consist of 420,000 bulbs distributed
Muloni also argued to UMEME to have all people to be on pre-paid metering before 2016 which one of the measures to have energy consumption in their hands but UMEME’s managing director Celestine Babungi said that UMEME can only achieve this in 2017 though currently already 70% of the power consumers are already on pre-paid metering.
Credit: Observer
