AECOM, the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, today announced it has been awarded a contract to provide consulting services for the Uganda-Democratic Republic of Congo Power Interconnection Line project. This work was awarded by the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program Coordination Unit on behalf of the governments of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In this role, AECOM will assess the overall feasibility of a proposed transmission line from western Uganda to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

AECOM’s project scope includes delivering a feasibility report in addition to detailed design and tender documents that examine the technical and economic viability of the proposed transmission line. Currently, parts of the region rely on main load centers supplied by small diesel generators. The Uganda-Democratic Republic of Congo Power Interconnection Line aims to connect these regions to the national grid, providing a less expensive, reliable, and secure power supply. AECOM conducted an initial feasibility study for this work in 2013.

“We’re excited to partner with the Nile Basin Initiative, building upon our important previous work to help make the Uganda-Democratic Republic of Congo Power Interconnection Line a reality. With the rich renewable energy potential in the Nile Basin, this work will help bolster the region’s energy grid economy,” said Joseph Salim, senior vice president with AECOM. “We’re proud of our strong presence in Africa, which spans nearly a century, and remain committed to improving the continent’s built, natural, and social environments. We look forward to leveraging best practices from our extensive portfolio in power transmission and distribution infrastructure to deliver this vital work.”

Project objectives include assessing existing and future power sector development in the region; recommending appropriate rural electrification along the proposed route; reviewing organization and institutional frameworks for the construction, ownership, and operation of the line; exploring possible climate change risks to the project and proposed mitigation measures; and estimating the impact of the interconnection on the countries’ carbon footprints, specifically greenhouse gas emission reduction that will accrue from the transmission line.

The Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program aims to contribute to the eradication of poverty, promote economic growth, and reverse environmental degradation in the region. It is one of two investment programs under the Nile Basin Initiative, a regional intergovernmental partnership between ten Nile Basin states to manage and develop water and related resources in a cooperative manner, share substantial socioeconomic benefits, and promote regional peace and security.