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As Uganda’s construction sector experiences booms, one highly imperative part of it is the electrical installation and engineering. Any kind of modern construction always requires the deployment of professional Electrical Engineers in order to ensure high safety standards.

Otim Maxon, an Electrical Engineer based in Kampala says many people in Uganda previously put cost before quality and the perception was that hiring professional Engineers is too expensive. “But people are now starting to appreciate the leverage that comes with hiring professionals,” he says noting that the reason for this trend is because people have learnt to consider safety as paramount.

“And we all know Electrical works are some of the most sensitive parts in construction,” says Otim who also runs a consultancy firm, Terrestrial Wan Technologies International LTD based in Kampala. “The guarantee of safety is any property owner’s dream especially for commercial buildings,” he adds.

Construction and Electrical works go hand in hand, declares Mrs Maureen Magandazi, also a Kampala based supplies contractor who deals in Electrical gadgets. “Several years back, investing in the electrical business was an obvious loss-making venture but that has changed of recent,” she says revealing that the economic boom over the years has enabled many people to indulge in construction hence require electrical installations.

Its no wonder therefore that electrical equipment manufacturers based in Uganda including Cable Corporation of Uganda and Kenyan based East African Cables have moved to increase capacity to meet market demand despite competition from imports.

But if the construction industry has cause the increase in demand for Electrical Services, then the latter has also returned the favour in more less the same currency. For, some of the country’s biggest ever electrical installations also double as some of the most expensive construction works in Uganda today.

The Multi-million dollar Bujagali Hydro-power dam under construction in Jinja is one such project with a two-pronged contribution. The 250MW dam expected to commence operations next year (2011) is expected to ease the deficit of power supply facing the country.

The deficit in Hydro electricity supply has however seen other sector players venture into the Ugandan market with alternative power sources especially thermal electricity. One such company is Norway-based Jacosen International which in 2008 contracted local companies to install a 50MW thermal power plant in the Kampala suburb of Namanve.

The complete set of works also included construction of cable trays and laying of all cables as well as connecting 11KV cables to the national grid. In all, this resulted into a direct flow of over USD770, 000(approximately Shs169bn) into Uganda’s economy. The same works had earlier been done for Aggreko International, also a thermal power firm.

On the other hand, Uganda’s fledging oil industry has already caused excitement across the Electricals spectrum with a couple of multi-million dollar installation is areas of Hoima.

Kampala-based Electrical firm, Keltron has worked on several Electrical installation projects for oil explorer, Tullow Oil some which include full camp electrical installations and an Airstrip facility in Hoima.

But one of the main local electrical installation marvels is at Uganda’s premier resort, the Commonwealth Resort in Munyonyo which was also designed by Keltron. Built ahead of the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting hosted in Uganda that year, the lakeside resort boasts of 59 Presidential Suites, the only one of its kind in Africa.

For such a classy and sensitive resort, electrical works included cabling of low voltage installations, mounting of electrical panels, plus other electrical and mechanical consultancy all approximately totaling to $350,000.

Such is the pertinence of electrical installations in construction projects that it is only comparable to the Chicken and Egg tale.

According to Bernard Kisembo, a member of the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers who also owns Multi-Konsults, an Engineering firm, Electrical works in Uganda came of age during the refurbishment of Crested Towers and construction of Workers House.

Both projects entailed the redevelopment of power stations, high voltage switchgears, installing power transformers of about 3MVA and 4MVA respectively as well as reviewing the entire power distribution systems. Together, this two projects which are both owned by NSSF remain some of Uganda’s most prominent engineering marvels.

Amir Lubega, currently an Electrical Engineer with National Water and Sewerage Corporation(NWSC) says electrical works are very vital even in Utility companies. “I spend most of my time at NWSC’s Ggaba Water Works station because without power, water won’t be pumped,” he notes adding that water as well is a very vital component in the construction industry.

“It’s an interdependent world, so is construction and electrical installation,” concludes Engineer Amir.