RICH-MONDULI
New Member
- Jul 5, 2011
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Maumivu ya mgao wa umeme yataendelea mpaka mwaka 2013 ambapo kampuni za Pan African Energy na Songas zitakapokuwa zimewekeza kwenye miundombinu ya kuzalisha na kusafirisha gesi ya ziada mpaka Dar itakayowezesha kuzalishwa kwa umeme zaidi. Cha ajabu na kusikitisha ni kuwa serikali imeagiza mitambo mipya ya kuzalisha umeme ya 100MW kutumia gesi huku kukiwa hakuna gesi hiyo ya kuzalisha umeme. Hata Symbion (a.k.a new Richmond/Dowans) inazalisha 60MW tu wakati ina uwezo wa kuzalisha 112MW kutokana na upungufu wa gesi.
Huko Kenya wanajenga flyovers, Rwanda wanasonga mbele, Uganda wanaimarika na utajiri wa mafuta. Uchumi wa Tanzania kuendelea kudumaa kwa miaka ijayo kutokana na kukosa umeme. Rais wa Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, akiulizwa tatito ni nini anasema ni ukame, si kosa la mtu kutokuwepo kwa umeme. Nchi inakufa!
Huko Kenya wanajenga flyovers, Rwanda wanasonga mbele, Uganda wanaimarika na utajiri wa mafuta. Uchumi wa Tanzania kuendelea kudumaa kwa miaka ijayo kutokana na kukosa umeme. Rais wa Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, akiulizwa tatito ni nini anasema ni ukame, si kosa la mtu kutokuwepo kwa umeme. Nchi inakufa!
Power rationing to continue until 2013
SCANDAL AS TANESCO PURCHASES GAS-FIRED TURBINES
WHILE THERE IS NO GAS TO RUN THE POWER GENERATORS
THISDAY REPORTER
Dar es Salaam
TANZANIANS will continue to suffer from crippling energy deficits for the next coming years, with no immediate end in sight for the ongoing power rationing, it has been revealed.
According to well-placed government officials, the nationwide power cuts will likely continue until at least the year 2013 due to a combination of reasons, including corruption, poor planning and bad leadership.
The current shortfall of electricity in the national power grid stands at 260-megawatts, prompting the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) to introduce rolling power cuts since December last year.
A new 100MW power plant being built in Dar es Salaam by Jacobsen Elektro AS, a Norwegian energy company, is expected to be commissioned by TANESCO in December this year but the plant will not operate at full capacity.
"TANESCO last week took journalists on a tour of the Dar es Salaam port to witness the arrival of the first consignment of the power turbines. But the big scandal is that there is no gas to fuel these generators," said an official close to the government.
"This costly power plant purchased for $120 million will lie idle until the year 2013 when there will be enough gas to run the turbines."
Government officials told THISDAY the power turbines imported by TANESCO run exclusively on natural gas.
"Instead of purchasing dual turbines that run on both natural gas and heavy fuel oil, the turbines purchased by TANESCO are gas-fired only," said an official close to TANESCO.
Symbion Power LLC, which owns a 112MW power plant at Ubungo purchased from Dowans Holdings, is currently producing just 50 percent of its capacity because of shortages of natural gas.
The US company is generating 60MW, while the rest of its capacity remains unused due to inadequate gas supplies despite the national power crisis.
"Suppliers of natural gas are holding the government to ransom," said one government official.
TANESCO has been forced to ration power on several occasions when Pan African Energy, the main supplier of natural gas from Songosongo island, shuts down its wells from time to time.
On the other hand, Songas Limited said last week it will take a couple of years for the company to expand its gas supply to Dar es Salaam.
The chairman of the parliamentary energy and minerals committee, January Makamba, also warned that the new 100MW gas-fired power plant expected to be commissioned by TANESCO could become a "white elephant" because of gas shortages.
Makamba also faulted TANESCO's plans to install a 60MW power plant in Mwanza that will run on heavy fuel oil.
He noted that transporting oil from Dar es Salaam port to Mwanza over a distance of more than 1,200 kilometres would be a logistical nightmare for the public utility.
This is just poor planning and bad leadership by government officials. How do they build a 60MW power plant in Mwanza and transport its fuel all the way from Dar es Salaam. Why dont they build the power plant in Dar es Salaam to save massive oil transportation costs? Said one independent energy crisis.
Several MPs, including Anne Kilango (Same East-CCM), criticised the government for abandoning major power projects such as Stiegler's Gorge (2,100MW) in favour of small emergency power projects that generate 100MW.
Well-placed sources have revealed to THISDAY that corruption and bureaucracy has been sabotaging the development of the Stiegler's Gorge project.
The government has added just 145MW of electricity to the national power grid since 2006, but now claims it will boost energy output by more than 2,700MW in the next five years.
The Minister for Energy and Minerals, William Ngeleja, who tabled his ministry's 2011/12 budget estimates last Friday is expected to wind-up debate on the proposals today.
<Source: THISDAY, July 17, 2011>