URPC (delivered in partnership with Star-Hub Power Uganda and Apsay Engineering UK) is progressing the Ham Towers Solar + BESS Transformation—a flagship commercial energy upgrade designed to reposition Ham Towers as a power-assured, digitally managed green complex with materially improved reliability, cost optimisation, and tenant experience.
Ham Towers is a prominent mixed-use commercial building in Makerere, Kampala, currently exposed to tariff volatility, supply interruptions, and voltage fluctuations that impact lifts, HVAC performance, ICT continuity, and maintenance spend. The proposal references an average monthly electricity expenditure in the UGX 10–15 million range under the prevailing UEDCL commercial structure.
• Rooftop Solar PV: 190.96 kWp DC (roof-mounted array)
• Hybrid Inverters: 3 × 50 kW three-phase hybrid inverter set (150 kW AC total)
• Battery Storage: 100 kW / 232.9 kWh LFP cabinet for night autonomy and ride-through
• Energy Management System (EMS): real-time monitoring and intelligent dispatch logic
• Smart Prepaid Meters: tenant-level prepaid metering to improve billing transparency and reduce energy leakages
• Lighting Optimisation: LED motion-sensor retrofit to reduce common-area load and extend battery endurance
• Optional EV Charging: 22 kW AC EV charger provision for tenant and visitor readiness
The system is designed to prioritise solar self-consumption, automatically charge the battery from excess PV, and use grid power only as required during unusually high load or low generation periods. The EMS provides seamless transitions between PV, BESS, and grid, targeting voltage stability and uninterrupted operation of essential services.
• Reliability uplift for critical building circuits (lifts, security, ICT, lighting, HVAC resilience)
• Grid import reduction for targeted essential/common loads and reduced generator reliance
• Tenant-level prepaid electricity model: improved cashflow discipline, reduced under-recovery, and a more bankable utility sub-billing approach for the asset
• ESG and market positioning: a visible “power-assured green landmark” narrative aligned to modern green-building expectations
Ham Towers will be onboarded into a performance-based O&M framework with 24/7 monitoring, automated fault notifications, and routine preventive maintenance cycles integrated into the central monitoring platform. The reference plan includes six months of O&M support at commissioning stage, followed by a structured monthly O&M arrangement.
