Members of parliament have put the ministry of energy to task to explain a daily bill of 800 million shillings to run a single power plant.

This followed revelations that the 50 mega watt plant in Mutundwe Kampala costs the tax payer 800 million shillings. The thermal power plant was commissioned in 2004 to help to counter the power crisis that had rocked the country then.

The state minister for energy Peter Makere says the government spends 280 billion shillings annually to run the plant.

The MPS on the Energy and Mineral Development Committee say the project is not viable but just wastage of tax payer’s money. They appealed to the government to expedite the construction of Bujagali and Karuma hydro power dams to ensure Uganda has a steady supply of affordable hydro electricity.

By Mugisa Isaac Mathias