Lira Residents Frustrated as 10 Transformers Fail in Three Months Amid Power Woes

Residents of Itek sub-county in Lira District are voicing strong dissatisfaction over persistent power outages caused by frequent transformer failures. In the past three months, 10 transformers have blown, with the latest replacement failing after only two weeks.

Local businesswoman Sarah Alele from Abali “B” Village highlighted the impact on small enterprises, where machines sit idle and people travel 20km for services like grain milling. She described endless cycles of breakdowns followed by months without power, blaming poor coordination between contractors and utility providers.

Alele shared her own experience of a seven-month delay in commissioning a power line on her farm due to miscommunication during the Umeme to UEDCL transition and community disputes over pole placements. Even after paying for customer-funded meters, waits stretch to five or six months.

Francis Ogema Awany from Lira City West Division echoed concerns about unstable supply, high tariffs, and their burden on daily activities and businesses, urging authorities to improve reliability and review rates.

UEDCL’s overhead maintenance engineer, Job Omony, attributed issues to an aging network with rotten wooden poles, worn insulators, and long feeders up to 700km vulnerable to lightning surges. Transformer failures often stem from illegal bridging of connections and trees encroaching on lines.

ERA’s principal stakeholder engagement officer, Ibrahim E. Kasita, noted ongoing sensitization efforts in Lira City, a key northern commercial hub. ERA has introduced favorable tariffs like 5 US cents for large manufacturers and time-of-use incentives to boost competitiveness.

Despite new infrastructure, vandalism and illegal connections hinder progress. ERA is working with UEDCL and the Ministry of Energy to replace poles and build resilient networks for rural electrification and economic growth.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)