THE government has directed the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) to connect all public institutions in Dar es Salaam Region to natural gas by the end of this year to reduce operational costs and protect the environment.
The use of natural gas as a source of energy reduces the cost by 40 per cent, making it the least costly carbon-free source of energy compared to others such electricity and Liquefied Petroleum Gas( LPG).
Minister of Energy Dr Medard Kalemani issued the directive to TPDC yesterday at the University of Dar es Salaam when he officially launched the first phase of laying a natural gas pipeline for gas supply to four cafeterias and over 100 houses around the university.
The minister congratulated the university’s management for its decision to connect its cafeteria and other buildings to natural gas, prompting him to direct TPDC to hold talks with other public entities in Dar es Salaam so that they too can be supplied with natural gas by end of the year.
“This University (UDSM) will save 480m/-per annum for using this resource while conserving the environment. I therefore direct TPDC to ensure that it connects other public institutions such as hospitals, police and prisons since primary infrastructures to facilitate the supply are already there,” he said.
He said the use of natural gas would protect the environment from carbon emission caused by charcoal use and deforestation caused by charcoal making. He said Dar es Salaam Region alone consumes up to between 400,00 and 500,000 sacks of charcoal per annum.
