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Uganda’s Utilities 2.0 Model Shows How Collaboration Can Accelerate African Electrification - CleanTechnica

Uganda’s Utilities 2.0 Model Shows How Collaboration Can Accelerate African Electrification - CleanTechnica
Source: cleantechnica
Author: @cleantechnica
Published: 7/23/2025

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A pilot project in rural Uganda, launched in 2021 under the Utilities 2.0 model, demonstrates that collaboration between centralized utilities and decentralized renewable energy (DRE) providers can significantly accelerate electrification. This approach enabled electricity delivery 3.5 times faster and 64% cheaper than traditional methods. The initiative, convened by a global campaign to end energy poverty in partnership with Uganda’s national utility and other stakeholders, addressed systemic barriers by fostering cooperation rather than competition between utilities and mini-grid operators. In the peri-urban community of Kiwumu, a solar mini-grid combined with a smart distribution network electrified 92% of households within six months, later integrating with the main grid and redeploying the mini-grid to new off-grid areas, showcasing a flexible and scalable solution. The results were transformative: 370 households gained power rapidly, monthly electricity consumption increased dramatically to 2,765 kWh—30 times higher than comparable communities—and connection costs dropped from over $500 to

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energyelectrificationmini-gridrenewable-energyUgandaUtilities-2.0energy-access