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Land Under Power Lines and Way-Leaves

Updated 3 November 2026 · Land & Property editorial team

A way-leave lets an electricity licensee put poles and lines on your land and cut trees that interfere with them, but under the Electricity Act it gains only a right of use, not ownership, unless you consent. The Act requires 60 days' notice and fair compensation. As of November 2026, the corridor width is not fixed in the sections we read, so ask UETCL or ERA before you buy.

What the licensee gets
A right to use the land for lines and posts, not ownership (Electricity Act, s.67(2))
Notice before entry
60 days, except for maintenance or repair (s.67(4))
Owner objection window
30 days from receiving the notice (s.67(5))
Compensation claim deadline
Within one year of the act, extendable for sufficient reasons (s.70(2))
Corridor width
Not stated in the sections read; ask the line owner

What is a way-leave and what does it take from a plot?

A way-leave is the right of an electricity licensee to run its lines across land that someone else owns. Section 67(1) of the Electricity Act (Chapter 157) lets a licensee authorised by the Electricity Regulatory Authority place and maintain electric supply lines in, over or upon any land. With written authorisation it may enter on reasonable notice, put up posts, fasten a bracket to a tree, cut down any tree or branch likely to interfere with a line, and do whatever is needed to build, repair or remove the line (source 1).

For the owner, the practical result is a strip of land that is no longer fully usable. You still own it, but you cannot put a house, a tall tree or a structure where it would interfere with the line, and the licensee can come back to maintain the line. Under section 67(2) the licensee may not acquire any right other than the right to use the land for the line or post unless the owner consents (source 1). That distinction matters when you buy: ask what, if anything, the seller signed.

Can I build under a power line in Uganda?

Not safely and, in practice, not with approval. The Act does not give a building rule in the sections we read, so we do not quote a number. What it does give is the licensee's power to cut any tree or branch that is likely to injure or interfere with a line and to enter to repair it (source 1). A roof, a water tank or a tall wall under or near conductors creates the same problem.

When you plan a house, the local physical planning committee still approves the plan, and its site inspection will notice a line over the plot. Ask the line owner for its written clearance requirement. Clearance depends on the line, and it is set by the line owner and the regulator, not by the seller. Our guide on Water, Power and Access covers the other utilities to check on a plot.

Do I get paid for a way-leave?

The Act says yes, for damage or loss. Section 67(3) requires the licensee to do as little damage as possible to the land and the environment and to ensure prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation to all interested persons for any damage or loss sustained (source 1). Section 70 says that any question of entitlement to compensation for right of use, or its sufficiency, is decided in default of agreement as if the land had been acquired under the Land Act and the Land Acquisition Act.

There is a deadline. A claim must be lodged with the Authority within one year of the act of the operator that gave rise to the claim, though the time may be extended on application showing sufficient reasons. A person aggrieved by the Authority's decision may appeal to the Electricity Disputes Tribunal within thirty days (source 1). If you are buying, find out whether the seller already claimed or was paid, because the right may have lapsed or been used. Our page Land Compensation for Roads and Public Projects explains how compensation works for other public works.

What is the process when a line is planned on my land?

  1. The licensee gives sixty days' written notice stating as fully and accurately as possible the nature and extent of the acts intended (section 67(4)).
  2. You may lodge a written objection with the Authority within thirty days of receiving the notice (section 67(5)). The Authority then fixes a date to inquire into it.
  3. The Authority may authorise the acts unconditionally or on conditions (section 67(7)). If you are unhappy, you may appeal to the Tribunal within sixty days (section 67(8)).
  4. If you did not object, the licensee may enter and carry out the acts in the notice (section 67(6)).

You can also ask the Authority to order the line moved or removed, but the cost of removal or alteration is borne by the landowner under section 69 (source 1). That is a reason to buy a plot without a line, rather than hope to move it later.

How do I spot a way-leave before buying?

  • Walk the plot and look up. Poles, stays, a line across a corner or a transformer are visible signs.
  • Look at the ground. A cleared strip, a cut line through trees or an unusual gap in a hedge points to an existing corridor.
  • Ask neighbours whether anyone was compensated, and when.
  • Check the deed plan and title for entries that mention an easement or restriction, then ask for the way-leave documents the seller signed.
  • Ask the line owner or the regulator in writing whether a new line is planned across the area.

Also check the way in. A plot can be fine and still have no lawful access, which our page on Access Roads and Right of Way to a Plot explains.

How does a way-leave affect price?

We do not have an authoritative price series for plots with a way-leave and we will not invent one. Logically, a plot loses the strip it cannot use, and a buyer who wants a house footprint on a 50 by 100 ft plot may find a line removes much of the usable area. Our November 2026 snapshot shows 50 by 100 ft plots asking from UGX 42,000,000 at Gayaza to UGX 95,000,000 at Kira Mulawa (Land & Property listings, Nov 2026). A plot priced well below its neighbours may have a reason you cannot see.

Ask the seller to knock off the value of the strip, or walk away. Read buy land or house if you are still deciding, and How to Pay for Land Safely in Uganda before you release a deposit. To have a verified person walk the plot and photograph the lines, book an escorted site visit, or browse plot listings.

Listings available now

Live from Land & Property on 4 November 2026. Prices are the sellers' asking prices.

Frequently asked questions

Can I build under a power line in Uganda?

Seek written clearance first. The Electricity Act lets a licensee cut trees or branches that may interfere with a line and enter to maintain it. The Act sections we read give no building distance, so ask the line owner for its clearance requirement before you buy.

Do I get paid for a way-leave?

The Act requires prompt, fair and adequate compensation for damage or loss. A claim must be lodged with the Electricity Regulatory Authority within one year of the act, with possible extension. Ask the seller whether compensation was already paid.

Does the power company own the strip under its line?

Not by default. Under section 67(2) of the Electricity Act, the licensee gets only a right of use of the land for the line or post unless the owner consents to more. Check what the seller signed.

Who decides disputes over a power line on my land?

The Electricity Regulatory Authority hears objections and compensation claims first. A person aggrieved by its decision may appeal to the Electricity Disputes Tribunal, within sixty days for the entry decision and thirty days for compensation decisions.

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Sources

  1. Electricity Act (Chapter 157), sections 67 to 70, ULII and Laws.Africa (accessed 2026-11)
  2. Land & Property listings snapshot, 3 November 2026 (our own data), Land & Property (accessed 2026-11)

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