By Namugerwa Martha
Umeme has increased its capital investment by 13% after getting shs1 billion from grasshopper businesses thus targeting to reduce distribution losses from 17.8% to 16%.
Since people use electricity lights to attract grasshoppers, the business becomes one of Umeme’s profitable services which occur usually two months a year yet bringing in much money for the company.
Selestino Babungi the Executive Director of Umeme revealed this during the company’’s annual general meeting which was held at Sheraton hotel in Kampala today.
“We have a partnership with grasshopper businesses that are working and we shall make them better and,” Babungi said.
On the other hand, Babungi said that their commitment to safer networks is unwavering and that 65% of their customers are now connected on yaka and are on pre paid metering which effectively removes the 4 visiting sessions from customer’s premises.
“We were able to deliver and install a prepaid service for government institutions and we are seeing efficiencies and behavior change,” Babungi said.
He added that 50% of service calls are through digital platforms including the mobile app which makes them reach everybody in need of their services on his/her preferred channel.
“We continue to train the people we need and every year we train a minimum of 20 graduate engineers for effective distribution of our services even in rural areas,” Babungi added.
Babungi further added that they have commissioned a brand new substation to Muniko in Lugazi in order to support the growing demand of power from the steel industries.
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