Electricity Act 1999

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Chapter number: 

145

In-force: 

Yes

 

CHAPTER 145

THE ELECTRICITY ACT, 1999. Arrangement of Sections.

Section

PART I—PRELIMINARY.

Commencement.

Object of Act.

Interpretation.

PART II—ELECTRICITY REGULATORY AUTHORITY.

Establishment of authority.

Composition of authority.

Disqualification from appointment.

Tenure of office of members.

Termination of appointment.

Remuneration of members of authority.

Functions of authority.

Conduct of functions.

Meetings of authority.

Special committees of authority.

Consultants.

Delegation of functions.

Independence of authority.

Powers of Minister.

PART III—SECRETARIAT AND STAFF OF AUTHORITY.

Secretariat.

Chief executive officer.

Functions of chief executive officer.

Other staff.

PART IV —FINANCE.

Funds of authority.

Estimates.

Power to operate bank accounts.

Borrowing powers.

Application and investment of surplus funds.

Financial year of authority.

Accounts and audit.

PART V—LICENSING.

Notice of intended application.

Publication of advertisement.

Permits.

Authority may invite applications.

Applications.

Processing of applications.

Publication of notice of applications.

Objection to grant of licence.

Factors to be considered for application.

Refusal to grant licence.

Other licences.

Authority may order compliance.

Emergencies.

Revocation of licence.

Modification of licence.

Licensee’s application for modification.

Duration of licence.

Transfer of licence.

Performance of activities.

Records and reports.

Removal of installations.

Notice of accidents.

PART VI—LICENCES.

Generation licence.

Reversion of hydropower plant.

Transmission licence.

Licensee to provide access.

System operator.

Bulk supplier.

Distribution licence.

Access to users.

Sale licence.

Export and import licences.

Prohibition of unlicensed activity.

PART VII—RURAL ELECTRIFICATION.

Obligations of Government.

Rural electrification strategy.

Rural Electrification Fund.

Criteria for subsidy access.

Rural electrification data base.

PART VIII—USE OF LAND FOR INSTALLATIONS.

Power of licensee to use land.

Procedure for using public land.

Removal or alteration of electric supply line.

Compensation.

Compulsory acquisition of land.

PART IX—INSPECTION.

Reports.

Inspectors.

Investigations.

PART X—TARIFFS.
Tariffs and terms of supply. PART XI—RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF CONSUMERS.

Duties of consumers.

Supply of electricity.

Licensee’s fees.

Exceptions to duty to supply electricity.

Security.

PART XII —OFFENCES AND PENALTIES.

Offences relating to installations and equipment.

Offences relating to supply of electricity and electrical works.

Offences relating to licences.

Offences relating to registration.

Damage to public lamps, etc.

Diversion of energy and damage to supply lines.

Interference with electrical installations.

Installation of electrical wiring.

General penalty.

Compensation.

False information.

Compensation order.

PART XIII—ELECTRICITY DISPUTES TRIBUNAL.

Establishment of tribunal.

Chairperson and vice chairperson of tribunal.

Appointment of other members.

Qualifications for appointment.

Tenure of office.

Conditions of appointment.

Disqualification from appointment to tribunal.

Oath of office.

Termination of appointment.

Disclosure of interest.

Official seal.

Arrangement of business.

Constitution of tribunal for exercise of powers.

Technical advice.

Remuneration.

Funds of tribunal.

Jurisdiction of tribunal.

Power of review and appeals from tribunal.

Procedure of tribunal.

Registrar of tribunal.

PART XIV —MISCELLANEOUS.

Exemptions.

Administrative procedures.

Annual and other reports.

Common seal and other instruments of authority.

Documents to be public documents.

Immunity of members and staff of authority.

Regulations.

Grid code.

Amendment of Schedules.

PART XV—TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS.

Initial licences.

Continuance of operations of Uganda Electricity Board.

Saving of licences.

Successor company.

Vesting of property in successor company.

Issuing of securities and shares.

Employees of Uganda Electricity Board.

Pension fund and former employees.

Repeal and savings.

Schedules

First Schedule Meetings of authority and other matters.

Second Schedule Currency point.

CHAPTER 145

THE  lor: rgb(0, 51, 102); padding-right: 10px; padding-left: 10px; line-height: 20px; ">ELECTRICITY ACT, 1999 .

Commencement: 1 November, 1999, except sections 61,  : underline; color: rgb(0, 51, 102); padding-right: 10px; padding-left: 10px; line-height: 20px; ">119 ,  : underline; color: rgb(0, 51, 102); padding-right: 10px; padding-left: 10px; line-height: 20px; ">123 , < underline; color: rgb(0, 51, 102); padding-right: 10px; padding-left: 10px; line-height: 20px; ">130  and  underline; color: rgb(0, 51, 102); padding-right: 10px; padding-left: 10px; line-height: 20px; ">Part XIII.

An Act to provide for the establishment of the Electricity Regulatory
Authority; to provide for its functions, powers and administration; to
provide for the generation, transmission, distribution, sale and use of
electricity; to provide for the licensing and control of activities in the
electricity sector; to provide for plant and equipment and for matters
relating to safety; to liberalise and introduce competition in the
electricity sector; to repeal the  lor: rgb(0, 51, 102); padding-right: 10px; padding-left: 10px; line-height: 20px; ">Electricity Act; to  provide for a
successor company to the Uganda Electricity Board and for connected
purposes.

underline; color: rgb(0, 51, 102); padding-right: 10px; padding-left: 10px; line-height: 20px; ">PART I —PRELIMINARY.

1. Commencement.

This Act shall come into force on a day to be appointed by the Minister by statutory instrument, and different days may be appointed for the commencement of different provisions.

2. Object of Act.

The object of this Act is to regulate the generation, transmission, distribution, sale, export, import and distribution of electrical energy in Uganda.

3. Interpretation.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

“apparatus” means electrical apparatus, and includes all machines, apparatus and fittings in which conductors are used or of which they form part;

“area of distribution” means the area within which the holder of a distribution licence is, for the time being, authorised to distribute electrical energy;

“authority” means the Electricity Regulatory Authority established under section 4;

“bulk supplier” means the person responsible for transmission and sale of electricity in bulk to distribution and sales companies in accordance with section 56;

“chief executive officer” means the chief executive officer of the authority appointed under section 19;

“company” means a company within the meaning of the Companies Act;

“consumer” means any person supplied or entitled to be supplied with electrical energy for personal, industrial and commercial use but does not include a person supplied with electrical energy for delivery to another person;

(h) “currency point” means the value of a currency point specified in the Second Schedule to this Act;

(i) “distribution” means the ownership, operation, management or control of distribution facilities for the movement or delivery of electricity to consumers;

(j) “distribution facilities” means electrical facilities operated at distribution voltage and used for the movement or delivery of electricity;

(k) “distribution voltage” means any voltage below the minimum transmission voltage;

(l) “electric supply line” means a wire, conductor or other means used or intended to be used for the purpose of conveying, transmitting, distributing, serving or using electrical energy, together with any casing, coating, covering, tube, pipe, insulator or support enclosing, surrounding or supporting the same or any part thereof; or any apparatus, including apparatus for switching, controlling, transforming, converting or otherwise regulating electric energy ancillary thereto, for the purpose of conveying, transmitting, distributing, serving or using electrical energy, but does not include any telegraph or telephone line;

(m) “electrical energy” means electrical energy when generated, transmitted, distributed or utilised for any purpose except the transmission of any communication signal;

(n) “electricity” means electric power generated from water, mineral oil, coal, gas, solar energy, wind energy, atomic energy or any other means;
(o) “fair competition” has the meaning in section 74;
(p) “fund” means the Rural Electrification Fund established under

section 64;

(q) “generating station” means any station for generating electricity, including any building and plant used for that purpose, the site of the generating station and a site intended to be used for a generating station, but does not include a station for transforming, converting or distributing electrical energy;

(r) “generation” means the generation of electricity from water, mineral oil, coal, gas or any other means;

(s) “grid code” means a national grid code or similar regulations of national application prescribed by the authority, relating to the planning, scheduling or dispatch of electrical energy in Uganda;
(t) “inspector” means an inspector appointed under section 73;

(u) “installation” means the whole of any plant or equipment under one ownership or, where a management is prescribed, the person in charge of the management, designed for the supply or use or both, as the case may be, of electrical energy;
(v)