THE government has set aside 16bn/- for the implementation of a project to help improve power distribution in Kigamboni District, Dar es Salaam, the National Assembly was told on Wednesday.
Responding to a question by Ms Lucy Magereli (Special Seats-CCM), Deputy Minister for Energy Subira Mfalu said the government, through the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco), continued working on the installation of a 132/33Kv power line.
Such a line, she said, would transmit power from Kurasini to Dege and there was another power supply centre with 120MVA in Dege, Kigamboni.
“This project stated to be implemented in January last year at 16bn/- and will be completed by September this year,” the deputy minister said. The completion of the project, she said, would improve availability of power in Mbagala and Kigamboni.
Before asking the question, the MP noted that Kigamboni District had been experiencing a low power voltage and incidences of frequent power shortages. She, thus, wanted to know the government’s plans to solve the problem.
The deputy minister explained that it was true there was low power voltage in Kigamboni Municipal Council caused by the deterioration of a power systems and an increase in demand for electricity due to the construction of human settlements and industries.
She said the government, through Tanesco, continued with power voltage improvement by increasing power lines and transformers in Kigamboni, notably Vijibweni, Kibugumo, Kibada Uvumba, Kisota and Maweni kwa Thoma.
In tackling the problem, the deputy minister explained that in 2017 Tanesco made some renovations to upgrade Kigamboni Power Station by increasing its capacity from 5MVA, which was servicing 3,000 customers to 15MVA with the capacity of serving 12,000 customers.
Such a project, according to the deputy minister, cost 1.5bn/-. She said further that the government was in final stages of completing the construction of a new power station in Kurasini with 123/33kV, which would transmit reliable power to Kigamboni.
The project, she said, started in 2018 and would be completed by the end of April this year and would improve the state of power availability in the district.
