Buranga Geothermal Power Station | |
Coordinates: | 0.8331°N 30.1669°W |
Country: | Uganda |
Location: | Buranga Hot Springs Bundibugyo District |
Status: | P |
Construction Began: | 2018 (Expected) |
Commissioned: | 2022 (Expected) |
Th Fuel Primary: | Geothermal |
Ps Electrical Capacity: | 100MW |
The Buranga Geothermal Power Station, is a proposed 100MW geothermal power station in Uganda.[1]
The power station would be located at Buranga Hot Springs, off the Fort Portal–Bundibugyo–Lamia Road in Bundibugyo District, approximately 61km (38miles), by road, northwest of Fort Portal, the nearest large city. This location is approximately 355km (221miles), by road, west of Kampala, Uganda's capital city. The coordinates of Buranga Hot Springs are 0°49'59.0"N, 30°10'01.0"E (Latitude:0.833062; Longitude:30.166947).
As part of efforts to diversify the national electricity sources, the government of Uganda licensed Green Impact Development Services (GIDS) to drill an exploratory well in the Buranga Hot Springs area. Pre-feasibility studies at this location have indicated subsurface water temperatures of to, which are suitable for electricity generation.[2] GIDS plans to drill three deep wells and to generate at least 30 megawatts from each well.[3] However some sources have indicated that these plans may be too ambitious for a greenfield site with no prior history of geothermal output.[4]
The cost of construction is budgeted at US$42 million.[3]
Following an explosion at a drilling site located at Kibiro in Hoima District on the night of 29 March 2020, the Uganda Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development halted drilling at that site, at another site in Panyimur, Pakwach District and at the Buranga site in Bundibugyo District. Drilling may resume after a detailed "environmental and social impact assessment" (ESIA) is conducted.[5]