Permit

Authority

Rationale

Permit to undertake studies and other activities
[Electricity Act 1999]

ERA

The permit gives the developer exclusivity to develop the site, the right to do necessary feasibility studies and the knowledge that no conflicting projects are being developed. It provides ERA with information about what projects are in the pipeline at all times.

Uganda environmental clearance
[The National Environment Act, 1995]

NEMA

The clearance allows NEMA to make sure that the project and its mitigation plans complies with Ugandan standards for environmental and social impact. Where the project is on a protected river or wetland, NEMA will require the developer to also apply for permission to operate on this river/wetland.

ERT social and environmental clearance
[World Bank safeguard policies: 

World Bank

Projects awarded subsidies from the REF that utilize World Bank funds must satisfy World Bank social and environmental safeguards. Annex N provides a social and environmental framework for rural electrification projects that may be supported by the Bank.

Surface Water Permit (also termed Abstraction Permit)
[The Water Statute 1995; Water Resources Regulations 1998]

DWD

The permit allows DWD control over the use of surface water so that no other parties, for example farmers, are negatively affected and so that no other negative effects on the surface water system occurs. The permit will typically require a minimum water flow in the river.

Construction Permit
[The Water Statute 1995; Water Resources Regulations 1998]

DWD

The permit allows DWD control over the impacts on surface water during construction so that no unacceptable negative effects on the surface water system occurs – for example significant pollution.

Investment Licence

UIA

The Investment Licence is issued to an investor proposing to make an investment in Uganda.

Licence(s)
[Electricity Act 1999]

ERA

The Licence(s) gives ERA the necessary control to exercise its duties as regulator of the power system. The duties includes the protection of end-users of monopolies, the enforcement of technical and performance standards, the review of the organisation of the industry, etc.

Exemption from a licence
[Electricity Act 1999]

ERA

For generation projects less than 0.5 MW, no licence is required, but the developer should register the project with ERA.
For generation projects between 0.5 and 2 MW, the developer may apply to ERA for an exemption from the requirement to obtain a licence.

Licence/Concession for use of river/land
[Land Act , 1998]

Uganda Land Commission

For hydropower projects, or projects sited on land held in trust by the Government, the developer should obtain a licence or concession from the Land Commission. Where the land is held by local authorities, then the concession should be obtained from the relevant local authority.

Dredging Licence

Minister responsible for Rivers.

For dredging in a river

Riparian consents

From Riparian States

Where the project impacts on water flow to other countries, it may be necessary to obtain the consent from these countries. For hydropower projects in the order up to 20 MW, this will not normally be necessary unless the river flows directly into a neighboring country.