AfricaPress-Tanzania: PRESIDENT John Magufuli has said his government will continue exploiting various sources of power generation, including completing ongoing power projects.
Inaugurating the 12th Parliament in Dodoma on Friday, President Magufuli said the focus will be made on cheap sources of power generation, including hydro, natural gas and renewables for the major purpose of enabling the country have surplus in the next five years.
Dr Magufuli said during his second term in the country’s top office he will ensure that the major hydropower project, Nyerere Hydropower Project in Rufiji is finalised and becomes operational.
“We intend to complete the construction of Nyerere Hydropower Project which will generate 2,115MW and start constructing new hydropower projects,” he stated.
He mentioned that some of the planned new hydropower projects will be undertaken at areas of Luhuji (358MW), Lumakali (222MW) and Kikonge (300MW).
On the part of the naturalgas generated power, he said his government will initiate projects in Mtwara (300MW), Somanga Fungu (330MW), Kinyerezi III (600MW), Kinyerezi IV (300MW), and other small projects.
He further stated that during the next five years, the government will be generating 1,100MW from renewable energies such as solar, wind and others.
“We have also planned to embark on implementing projects for power transmission lines for supplying 400KV from Arusha to Namanga and from Iringa to Mbeya and Tunduma,” he explained.
He informed the National Assembly that current plans are to supply power to all villages that are still not accessing electricity.
Through the ongoing rural electrification project, he said the government will complete connecting power to the remaining 3280 villages.
“In the last five years, according to data collected by yesterday (Thursday), we have already supplied electricity to 9884 villages in the year 2016,” he said, noting that the country has a total of 12280 villages.
“When we complete all power projects, we will not only have enough power, but it will also make us have surplus for selling to neighbouring countries, and lowering electricity costs,” he argued.
In the next five years, he said the government will also embark on implementing the flagship project of 1445km oil pipeline from Hoima in Uganda to Tanga port.
Another plan is to start implementing the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project in Lindi region.
“We will ensure that this project starts operating,” he said, saying that in line with this the government will continue encouraging people to use natural gas for industrial and domestic use to reduce environmental effects.
He also used the platform to explain what his government has done to improve the energy sector during the last five years.
“In the last five years, we have implemented many projects for transmitting power, and thus reducing costs on consuming power generated from fuel, saving 719bn/- which the government was spending annually,” he noted.
