Kuna kitu kinaitwa diversification of energy sources! Its pretty wrong kuamua kutegemea gas au hydro kwenye uzalishaji wa umeme 100% na pia hata kiusalama haishauriwi pata picha pomba la gas la Mtwara-Kinyerezi likiharibika au ukame ukitokea! Alternatives r always a safe path iwe coal power plants, geothermal, solar, wind u name it but longterm cost should always be a determinant factor!
Gas ina matumizi mengi zaidi ya kuzalisha umeme ikiwemo kwenye petrochemical factories na pia heating uses majumbani, viwandani na hata kwenye magari! It makes sense kutumia kwenye hizi other sectors pia na si kuzalisha umeme tu! Kumbuka what will propel us further economical is the establishment of petrochemical factories like the plan for a fertilizer plant by Ferrostaal n other plastic and steel factories! No value chain ukilinganisha na ujenzi wa hydropower plant ambayo raw material za ujenzi zinapatikana hapa (aside hydro turbines), manpower intensive na inaweza kuambatana na irrigation n water supply schemes.
Kingine kuna total dependence of gas to electrical power plants kwa gas ambayo price yake ina-fluctuate wakati wote na pia mitambo ile kuhitaji servicing and maintenance ya mara kwa mara! Ukiangalia online mitambo hii ya Kinyerezi ujenzi wake umefanyika na makampuni ya nje CSI na Jacobsen Elektro! Kiuchumi si kitu kizuri ukizingatia tuna Tanesco and yet tuna-export jobs overseas.
Zaidi ya hayo kuna study zinafanyika kujua kina cha maji kiko vipi na hata estimation za kiasi cha umeme huzingatia hayo yani all seasonal flowrates! Wanaposema all year round capacity wana maana wameshafanya calculation zao na kuja na minimum amount! Kwangu mie bado naona hydropower kuwa a more realistic option kwetu sie na nimeangalia overall economic benefits kwetu!
