Ambassador Pelle, Energy Minister visit Fulla Falls hydropower potential sites
The European Union Ambassador to South Sudan, H.E. Pelle Enarsson, and the National Minister of Energy and Dams, Hon. Agok Makur, recently visited the potential sites of the five Fulla cascade dam on the Nile, from Nimule, to assess the planned hydroelectric power project.
After a warm welcome from Nimule Municipal Mayor Caesar Longa Fuli and local authorities, the high-level delegation, which included EU Head of Cooperation Massimo Scalorbi and Project Manager Sunday Lotidak, was taken to the proposed sites. At the location, they observed the Fulla rapids first-hand, which are considered a promising source of hydroelectric power that could significantly expand electricity access across South Sudan.
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Speaking at the site, Ambassador Enarsson admired the beauty and economic potential of the waterfalls, adding that peace and security are required for such a development initiative to be realised. “It's a place of natural beauty. It is also a place of hydroelectric power,” Ambassador Enarsson said of the Fulla Falls. “There have been plans to generate hydropower from the falls, and we have come to see it with our own eyes. Of course, it is sometimes difficult to think ahead in a country in conflict. Peace is the first thing that comes to mind, but we must think beyond the short term. We need to think ahead.”
Minister Makur weighed in, saying, “This is a gift from God to the people of South Sudan. We must make use of it by building a project that will benefit the entire nation.”
The Mayor of Nimule Municipal said that the Government of Eastern Equatoria State places significant importance on Fulla Falls. He asserted that its development will provide reliable electricity for local communities, promote local industry, and boost development in the state and across the nation.
The high-level delegation also visited sites for the 400 kV South Sudan–Uganda power interconnection project. This included inspections of the proposed substation locations in Nesitu (South Sudan) and Bibia (Uganda). They also viewed the planned transmission line routes. The South Sudan-Uganda Power Interconnection Project (SUPIP) is funded by the European Union (EU) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), with coordination provided by the technical team of the Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Coordination Unit (NELSAP-CU). The SUPIP aims at enhancing energy access and promoting sustainable development in the region.
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