The Energy Policy Consultation Project was designed and started in 1999 at a time when the entire Ugandan energy economy, and especially the electricity supply sector, was in a state of collapse (there was step-by-step privatisation and liberalisation of the market). The Department of Energy in the Ministry of Mining and Energy was chosen to be the national state partner in this project and this Department was at that time also going through a phase of development and decision making on locations for projects to be carried out. The original project goal was conceived as follows, :