A least-cost electrification proposal for Kisiizi, Uganda

Sten Bergman
Sr. Energy Specialist, The World Bank
1. Introduction
Kisiizi Hospital is a Church of Uganda "Private not-for-profit health care provider rurally
situated in the mountains of North Kigezi in Rukungiri district in the South West of
Uganda. The hospital was founded in 1958 and has since then grown significantly.
The hospital owns and operates a small micro-hydro plant of approximately 60 kW size.
However, due to an increasing demand for electricity (approximately 125 kW) the
hospital has investigated the opportunity to expand the hydro-plant to a maximum of 250
kW. Given excess capacity the hospital could be a private distributor to nearby
community for a number of years, until the main grid reaches Kisiizi. The nearest UEB
main grid is in Rubaare, 29 km away.

Kisiizi Hospital area, Rukungiri District

2. A proposal of a low-cost design with a sequenced approach

There a few suggestion on how to increase power supply in Kisiizi. ESKOM
recommended to connect Kisiizi with the Main grid in Rubaare with a three-phase steel
wire design for an approximate cost of USh 310 million (USD 220,000). Another option
suggested is to connect by a Single-phase line to Rubaare, though limiting the power
transfer to approximately 200 kW. Costs should amount to USD 80,000. In both cases
LV networks are needed and cost estimated to around USD 50,000. Assuming 600
customer and connection costs of USD 100 per customer the cost per connection in these
1

proposed concepts comes to 508 USD/connect and 308 USD/connect. However the latter
is power limited and will not make a sustainable contribution to power needs.
Another proposal, which is recommended here is to develop the micro-hydro to the need
of the hospital, around 217 kW (Option 1 and electrify only the closest surroundings,
leaving the distant areas to a following main-grid connection, maybe a few years ahead,
as the main grid option is viable.
To ensure the most number of customer connected the barrier of high up-front cost
should be eliminated. The system design should therefore include all design elements and
customer parts in its conceptual framework as well as significantly lower the connection
fee for any user.

Kisiizi, trading center and shops along the main route to Rubaare

In order to reduce operating costs as much as possible it is suggested that "pre-pay"

meters, (USD 65) with current limiting functions are applied as standard.
The proposed scheme combines the electrification of the hospital area with a cable
network with LV overhead lines to nearby trading center, town and market area. In total a
network with a power delivery within maximum 900 m from the generator location. This
proposal results in a LV system of higher cost than UMACIS (USD 34,000 compared to
USD 15,000) but it reinforces the distribution and most likely reduces operating costs ,
need for maintenance etc. However reducing the initial need for a costly MV system of
approximately USD 145,000, this system seems more appealing from a commercial
perspective and it is not "sunken cost" as the system will be operable when main grid is
connected (single-phase or three-phase)
Based on the evaluation (See Annex) a proposal for Kisiizi hospital is to:

(i)

Initially develop the Kisiizi hydro-power plant to a 217 kW system (Option 1),
connect through a local LV only mini-grid the commercial enterprises in nearby
Kisiizi town and trading center, estimated to accommodate around a maximum
450 households and 150 commercial users. Include service-connection and meters
in the customer package. Customers connection fees should be in the range USh
10,000 - 20,000, in order to get as many customers as possible from the start.
Load management (e.g. timer control) should be applied to at least water heaters
(17 kW) and other shiftable commercial loads in order to reduce peak power
limitation.

(ii)

When the load growth has expanded the electricity consumption to more than
217 kW extending the main grid from Rubaare, 29 km from Kisiizi, with a 19,7
kV single phase steel connection, connecting approx. another 500 and 50
commercial customers on the route, and switching some of the loads in Kisiizi to
the main-grid (Cost USD 100,000 including transformers)

(iii)

When load growths along the line and capacity restrictions are met another 19,7
kV Single phase spur could be connected and customer reconnected accordingly.
Last part of the line could result in a two-phase line allowing for change to 33 kV
transformers if needs are there.

(iv)

As load growth continues the last step imply a complete three phase upgrading of
the main-grid extension to a full three-phase main-grid connection. At this point
the hydro-power plant in Kisiizi will be connected at the end of this line to maingrid for generating bulk-supply to the main-grid and as a back-up for the Kisiizi
hospital.

Building a LV network only in Kisiizi and using the upgraded hydro-power generator
will most likely due for at least five years perhaps more if a load management system is
applied. Solar water heaters could e.g. be applied to reduce some energy consuming
loads at this time to further defer investments another year.
The proposed network design as shown in Fig. 1 comprise of a combined cable network
for electrifying the hospital premises and a LV single phase network for extending to
nearby trading center, town and market . The three phase cable network is terminated in a
central small sub-station from where the overhead lines are distributed. Also one
overhead spur is extend from a cable box termination.
3. Cost estimation
Approximate cost for this concept is:
19,000
Cable network (1000 m 4 core 70 mm2)
2
LV network (5000 m 25 mm single-phase)
15,000
Customer connection (poles, drop wire, service wire,
ready board, pre-payment meter with
current-limiting function, 560 a USD 100)
56,000
Pre-payment meter central system
10,000
Substation, cable boxes and protection
10,000
3

Design and Construction (10 persons 3 weeks)

VAT (17%)
Transport
Total

5,000
20,000
5,000
140,000

Fig 1. Conceptual layout of Kisiizi LV system

4. Total investment cost for Kisiizi:

Investment
Hydro Power (217 kW)
LV network
Total

317,000
140,000
457,000

Number of connections
Households
Commercial
Hospital

450
150
-all load taken care of

ANNEX: Evaluation of UMA and ESKOM electrification proposals

UMA Consultancy & Information Service (UMACIS) developed a conceptual
electrification design proposal together with a business plan in May 2000. The first
proposal was evaluated and commented by ESKOM consultants in September 2000.
The UMACIS proposal resulted in proposing a combined network of 11 kV three phase
MV network (440 m) 11 kV Single-phase network (11,400 m) and a LV network of
5,600 m estimated to a total cost of approx. USD 200,000 including the construction
costs for 10 people working 3 weeks as well as VAT of 17% on material (USD 28,000).
All lines using 50 mm2 SCA conductors. The peak-power demand in Kisiizi is estimated
by UMACIS at 182 kW; 68 kW for Kisiizi hospital, 61 kW for Kisiizi Town, 10 kW for
the market area and 43 kW for the Kihanga area. Customers are expected to guarantee
USh 100,000 (USD 60) as a "connection fee" Expectations are therefore high on tariffs
similar to UEB tariffs. The total number of estimated connections were 616 resulting in a
total cost per connection of USD 408.
ESKOM evaluated the UMACIS proposal and recommended some changes. E.g.
reducing LV conductor sizing to 25 mm2 and connecting Kisiizi to the main grid in
Rubaare via a steel wire three-phase connection at a total cost of USh 10 million/km.
The system cost in this case was estimated to USD 305,000. The number of connections
were the same so cost per connection in ESKOM's recommendation was therefore USD
508 but could be as low as 322 if another 500 customer were connected en route.
A comparison between UMACIS, ESKOMs, A possible SWER main grid connection and
this proposal (at a customer basis of about 450+150) is shown in table1.
Table 1. Comparison of costs for Kisiizi designs

Design Approach

UMACIS
MV+LV
140,000
45,000
60,000

ESKOM
3-phase steel
200,000
45,000
60,000

SWER
Main grid
80,000
45,000
60,000

This proposal

408

305,000
500+ more
customer
potential
508 - 322

185,000
Power
limited to
200 kW
308

140,000
Limited
distribution
area
233

Cost for MV
Cost for LV
Service drop, poles,
ready-boards, meter
etc. (600 customer)
Total cost
245,000
Comments
Area expansion
possible
Cost per connection
USD

0
80,000
60,000