As a way of improving power reliability and quality of supply in the Western region, Umeme has invested about US$1,470,000 in the construction and improvement of the Ishaka substation.
Last weekend, Umeme commissioned the Ishaka substation with focus on restoration and expansion of the grid, reduction in energy losses, improvements in efficiencies, connections of new customers to the grid, improving service delivery, reliability of supply and public safety.
Being completely an outdoor substation, it has a 5MVA power transformer, with two 33kV incomer Interconnectors from Mbarara North and Nkenda Substations.
There is also a one 33 kV outgoing interconnector to Rukungiri Substation, Kanungu, Ferdsult and finally to Ishasha generation plant. With 11kV outgoing line that splits into two after leaving the substation to feed Ishaka town and Tea estates 11 kV feeders.
Previous the substation posed several challenges ranging from reliability issues, operating issues, safety concerns and maintenance challenges.
Therefore, Umeme re-design the substation to allow future expansion, constructed a plant control house at the substation to house the switchgear, metering equipment, DC system and SCADA, install indoor switchgear for both 33kV and 11Kv, installed AC and DC auxiliary systems and laid underground cables to decongest the substation
The substation will be monitored by SCADA an intelligence network watchdog. This will help in detecting faults on the network and help in quick supply restoration, reduction in outages, Automated Meter Reading (AMR) for large consumer users, e-bills and SMS bills, all of which have offered customers a new lot of customer experience by giving them the power to manage and control their consumption and bills.
The benefits of these investment is evidenced by improved system reliability, network reliability, improved safety, reduction in energy losses, increased customer connections and the deployment of technological innovations thus offering new customer experience
