Private firm earmarks Shs1.4 trillion to generate power from waste

 A private company has announced plans to invest $383 million (Shs1.4 trillion) in constructing a plant that will generate power from waste produced in Kampala and surrounding areas.

NLS Waste Power Plant says the plant will be designed to incinerate an average of 1,300 tonnes of waste per day or 475,000 tonnes per year. Kampala City on average generates 2,500 tonnes of waste, according to data from the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).

Speaking at a stakeholder engagement in Wakiso Town early this week, Ms Lydia Syson Nayiga, the business development manager at NLS Waste Power Plant, said the project will revolutionalise waste management in the country.

“Ours seeks to eliminate the pileup of waste in different parts of Kampala, which, to us is a rudimentary method; we believe this waste can be useful,” she said in reference to the garbage collapse at Kiteezi, which killed 35 people and displaced hundreds of others who were earning a livelihood from the site.

“By converting waste into energy, the project will support the principles of a circular economy, where waste is treated as a resource rather than a problem,” she added.

She was speaking to various leaders from Wakiso, Mukono and Kampala, who are key stakeholders in the project.

Once established, she said, the project will generate 35MW of electricity, 29MW of which will be sold on the grid, contributing to the country's energy efficiency.

“The plant will be equipped with advanced technologies to filter and reduce pollutants, resulting in cleaner air,” she added.

The development comes after KCCA handed over the Kiteezi landfill to an investor who will turn the waste into fertiliser.

But Ms Nayiga said they will be collecting waste directly from households, companies and hospitals and incinerating it instead of first dumping it at landfills.

Ms Nayiga revealed that the setting up of the project follows a feasibility study they concluded in June, which identified the difficulties associated with the final disposal of waste in landfills.

“These challenges underscore the urgent need for a more sustainable solution, leading to the proposal to construct the NLS Waste Power Plant Ltd. This facility would not only address the disposal issues but also contribute to energy production, providing a dual benefit for the community and the environment,” she said.

She said with the conclusion of a feasibility study, they are in the final stages of securing a licence from the government.

“We propose to locate the plant in Kampala Industrial and Business Park as a strategic decision to efficiently deliver waste from Kampala and Greater Kampala metropolitan area and optimal distribution of the steam to the industrial park,” Ms Nayiga said.

KCCA spokesperson Daniel Nuwabiine was not available to explain the impact of the new waste plant. But in the wake of the Kiteezi disaster, KCCA in its strategic plan said they welcome private partnerships in waste management, including exploring new technologies to convert waste into energy and other usable forms.

NLS Waste Power Plant says the new energy plant will create jobs.

“The construction, operation, and maintenance of the waste-to-energy plant will create jobs, boosting local economies; by selling the generated electricity to the grid, the project will generate revenue, potentially funding further environmental initiatives,” Ms Nayiga explained.

“The project will involve local communities in waste collection and management, fostering greater awareness and participation in sustainable practices,” she added.

Ms Nayiga appealed to the government to create enabling laws for effective waste management, revealing that the plan is to incinerate all waste from the greater Kampala, and in the long run countrywide. She said they have engaged town councils and secured letters of comfort to provide waste.