Uganda, Tanzania to go electric in railway line project
Kenya’s standard gauge railway. Government plans to upgrade the new railway line to electric in four year’s time. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Uganda and Tanzania have decided to have their new standard gauge railway lines built with electric capability, as they plan to eventually upgrade to electric trains when energy supply needs are eventually met. Kenya says it will upgrade its new SGR line to electric in four year’s time as the design allows for the addition of a single electric line at a cost of $480 million, once the power supply becomes dependable, according to Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia.
The electric component will cost 15 per cent of the money already spent on the construction of the 472km Mombasa-Nairobi line.
