New Vision recently ran an article celebrating East Africa’s first large solar power plant in Soroti, Uganda.

A new solar plant in Soroti District is set to supply 10 megawatts to Uganda’s electrical grid. This clean, sustainable energy is expected to power to about 40,000 homes in the area, which has heretofore lacked a reliable source of electricity. This will greatly aid the economy of the region, with dependable refrigeration for food storage being just one of the many benefits to the residents.

Uganda is a mostly agricultural nation, with a scattered population living in rural areas. An estimated 80% of Ugandans (about 32 million people) don’t have access to electricity, which is prohibitively expensive in any case.

Most Ugandans rely on firewood, charcoal and gas for energy. This practice has been the source of many residential fires, as well as ecological damage from the felling of trees. Uganda intends to triple its electricity generation over the next three years, which will help alleviate the danger. Small solar electricity systems are also available for people who are not on the national electricity grid.

The new 33-acre, $19 million-USD power plant is the first of its kind in East Africa. Kenya and Rwanda are currently building solar power plants of their own.

Read more of the AFP article “Huge solar plant beams power, hope to rural Uganda” at the New Vision website.