In 2016, Jinja City sat in the dark on the north bank of Lake Victoria. The city, the second largest in Uganda, had an overdue utility bill of 1.3 billion Ugandan shillings ($ 3.5 million) in circulation. Umeme, the country’s largest energy distributor, turned off the city’s streetlights.

Following this, Jinja City began installing solar powered lighting in 2016, with more than 100 installed in three years. As in Kampala in Jinja City, the economic and social benefits were immediate. With just its first projects lighting a 2.5-kilometer section of Main Street and some priority streets near a hospital and market square, the city saved more than 55 million Ugandan shillings ($ 15,200) in installation costs compared to traditional ones Street lighting systems The cost savings have increased further. The new equipment reduced installation costs by at least 25% and maintenance costs by up to 60%, city officials say.

Read more: Daily Solar Power News