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The current supply situation and the future demand for electricity in the country calls for immediate investment in the areas of generation, transmission and distribution.
A principal engineer (investment) at the Tanzania Electric Supply Company, (TANESCO), Engineer Meksesius Kalinga, said this recently during the Tanzania – Korea Energy and Transport Cooperation Forum held in Dar es Salaam.
Eng. Kalinga explained that the implementation of those projects can be attained by using public funds or through development partners with concession loans or grants.
He was presenting a paper on ‘Electric Power Policy and Major Projects in Tanzania’.
Speaking on the current power situation, Eng. Kalinga said that power generation installed capacity stands at 1,435.56 mw of which hydro power is 39.55%, gas 54.53%, liquid fuel 5.19%, biomass 0.73%. The off-grid’s installed capacity is 81.91 MW, mostly liquid fuel.
On transmission lines 670 km, 220 kV lines, 2,940.72 km, 132 kV lines 1,721.07 km and 66 kV lines 543 km. Also 122 grid substations and Optic Fibre Cable 3,120 km.
Distribution networks cover over 33 kV – 36,677.8 km, 11 kV – 6,466.01 km and 0.4 kV – 110,238.79 km. However, there are various ongoing generation and transmission projects in the country in the areas of generation and transmission.
Projects on generation in the pipeline include the Rufiji Basin’ Stiegler’s Gorge hydro power Project – 2,100 mw (2020), Kinyerezi I extension – 185 mw and Kinyerezi II – 240 mw September 2018 and Mtwara gas fired power plant – 300 mw by 2021.
Others are Somanga Fungu gas fired power plant- 330 mw (2020), Kakono hydro power project- 87 mw (2020), Malagarasi hydro power project – 45 mw (2020) and Rusumo hydro power project – 80 mw.
Ongoing projects in transmission include;
- 400 kV – Iringa -Shinyanga (670 km) – 2019,
- 400 kV – Dar es Salaam – Chalinze – Tanga -Arusha, (768 km) 400 kV – 2020,
- 220 kV Makambako – Songea, (250 km), 220 kV September, 2018,
- 440 kV Nyakanazi – Kigoma – Mpanda – Sumbawanga – Tunduma – Mbeya – Iringa (1,312 km) – July 2020;
- 400 kV Singada – Arusha – Namanga (414.4 km) – December, 2019;
- 220 kV Bulyanhulu – Geita (55 km) – June 2019;
- 220 kV Geita – Nyakanazi (114 km); 220 kV – August 2019.
The Government of Tanzania, through REA, has set a target of providing electricity services to all villages in Tanzania by 2021 through grid extension and off grid renewable energy solutions.
By, 2016, 49.5% and 97.5% of the Rural and Urban Population respectively has access to grid electricity.
Tanzania is endowed with the following electricity sources;
- Hydro – 4.7 GW (12% Developed);
- Coal – 1.9Bn tons (0% developed);
- Natural Gas – 57.25;
- TCF (782.82 mw developed);
- Geothermal – 58 sites – 5,000 mw (none developed); and
- Solar-annual insolation – 1,538 – 2,242 kWh/m2/yr
Among challenges that TANESCO faces include;
- High energy losses due aging transmission and distribution system.
- High non – technical losses
- Climate change diversifying generations resouces; and
- High cost of generation
Speaking on possibilities of Korean cooperation Eng. Kalinga said 150 mw Shinyanga Solar PV Project; 60 mw Dodoma Solar PV project; 5 mw Mafia Hybrid Power Project; 120 mw Upper Kihansi Hydro Power Project; 400 kV Chalinze – Dodoma Transmission line; Feasibility studies for renewable energy sources and hydro power.
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