The Independent Regulatory Board (IRB) established to interconnect East Africa’s 13 electricity regulators has relocated its secretariat from Ethiopia to Uganda.
The secretariat transition follows a $5.4 million grant from the African Development Bank to support the body's operations.
It came a year after members of IRB, which oversees the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP), voted for Uganda to take on hosting responsibilities for their secretariat.
The funds will go towards establishing the Kampala offices and equipping them with necessary resources like vehicles, IT infrastructure, and staff.
Officials of the Board said $800,000 would go towards outfitting the secretariat in its new home.
The relocation aims to strengthen ties between regulators in the 13 member states, which include Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. It also seeks to help facilitate power trade and interconnectivity across the region.
It was stated the move would generate new jobs for Ugandans.
The regulatory board oversees the Eastern Africa Power Pool, which was established to develop infrastructure for cross-border electricity sales. Observers say closer cooperation is key to ensuring a reliable, affordable supply for nearly 300 million energy consumers.
