UEDCL Managing Director Paul Mwesigwa has disclosed that an audit conducted immediately after the company took over the national electricity distribution network from Umeme uncovered 113 non-functional transformers, a finding he described as both “unexpected and urgent.”
“We did an audit on the 1st and 2nd of April, and what we found was that in the area we’ve taken over, 113 transformers were out of action. Initially, the records indicated that 40 were problematic, but upon physical inspection, the number rose drastically.” Mwesigwa stated.
Transformers are critical components in the power distribution chain, stepping voltage levels up or down to allow safe transmission and delivery of electricity to homes, businesses, and institutions. Their failure often results in blackouts or unstable power in the affected areas.
According to Mwesigwa, UEDCL promptly responded: “On the 3rd of April, we issued all the required units from our stores, and the deployment is ongoing. We believe that by the end of this week, all the affected areas will have functional transformers.”
The transformer shortfall, left several areas either without electricity or with severely interrupted supply.
“This wasn’t just a minor glitch. In some areas, communities had endured prolonged outages. Our priority was immediate restoration and long-term network reinforcement,” Mwesigwa added.
He further explained that the company is now not only replacing damaged units but also assessing overloaded transformers across the grid. These will be subjected to a process he referred to as “transformization”, a combination of capacity upgrades, system balancing, and smart monitoring installations.
“We observed some areas where transformers were severely overloaded. So beyond replacements, we’re preparing to implement ‘transformization’, upgrading capacity, reconfiguring load flows, and improving stability through smart investment.”he added
This process, Mwesigwa explained, will also take into account backbone conductors and substations that feed the main lines, ensuring holistic grid stabilization.
