Assessing required upgrades on electricity distribution network in Tororo to adopt e-mobility charging infrastructure : case study Town Ring 11Kv feeder.
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Date
2026-06-29
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Busitema University
Abstract
Uganda's growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), driven by the National E-Mobility Strategy, presents both opportunities and challenges for the existing electricity distribution infrastructure. This study assesses the required upgrades on the electricity distribution network in Tororo to support e-mobility charging infrastructure, using the Town Ring 11 kV feeder supplied from Tororo Rock Substation as a case study.
Primary data was collected through field visits, interviews with electric motorcycle operators from Spiro and Gogo, and site visits to battery swapping stations. Secondary data was obtained from the Uganda E-Mobility Report and MEMD publications. Energy demand was estimated using the formula E = N × S × Es, and EV growth was projected from a baseline of 300 electric motorcycles in 2025 to 4,000 by 2030, with electric cars growing from 0 to 50 over the same period.
Network simulation was carried out under three scenarios: baseline with no EVs, 10% EV penetration, and 30% EV penetration. Results show that the feeder's peak demand of 1,820 kW already exceeds its thermal limit of 1,800 kW before any EV load is added. At 30% EV penetration, five out of eleven transformers enter overload conditions. The integration of EV charging infrastructure significantly reshapes the load profile, with the evening peak increasing from 1,820 kW to a projected total of 6,010 kW by 2030.
The study recommends upgrading overloaded transformers, increasing cable capacity, and deploying smart charging strategies to shift EV demand to off-peak hours, ensuring reliable and stable grid operation as e-mobility adoption accelerates in Tororo.
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Final year project
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Opio, P. & Okello, O. (2026). Assessing required upgrades on electricity distribution network in Tororo to adopt e-mobility charging infrastructure : case study Town Ring 11Kv feeder. Busitema University. Unpublished dissertation.