Hmm, Tanesco seem to have forgotten that there is a ready supply of gas available to them to use. How soon it can be brought into production is dependent in part on the government of Tanzania!
TANESCO extends power rationing
TANZANIA Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) has announced prolonged power rationing to all regions connected to the national grid, including Zanzibar.
A statement issued in Dar es Salaam on Thursday by the power utility said the increased load-shedding has been caused by dwindling water levels at Mtera, Kidatu, Hale, Kihansi and Nyumba ya Mungu hydro-power plants.
"As of Wednesday this week, water levels at the Mtera dam stood at just 690.88 metres above the sea level, the minimum level which does not allow generation is 690 metres above the sea level, while the maximum water level at the dam is 698.50," reads part of the statement.
The power utility attributed the low water levels to insufficient rains experienced around the hydro-electricity generation dams.
It also blamed a diesel-fuel shortage at the Independent Power Tanzania Limited (IPTL) plant, as another reason for power shortage in the national grid.
TANESCO said it recently signed a power purchasing agreement with the independent power producer, Aggreko, for the production of 100MW as among the measures to mitigate the situation.
During a visit at the just ended Public Service Week exhibitions at the Mnazi Mmoja grounds on Wednesday, the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Mr David Jairo, said efforts are underway to improve generation at IPTL and Symbion Power Plants.
He warned that the Mtera dam could be closed if water levels continue to decrease.
"The situation at Mtera is alarming and we might be forced to close it down. The dam and other facilities in the country are not producing power at full capacity," Mr Jairo said.
As of Wednesday this week, power generation stood at 650MW against the capacity of 850MW by all power plants in the country.
"We are thus facing a shortage of 200MW," TANESCO Principal Engineer, Ms Juliana Pallangyo said.
But Mr Jairo was confident that power shortages will be lessened through generations at Symbion and IPTL while the ministry and TANESCO continue to implement short, medium and long term power projects.
'As we speak now the ministry of energy has already requested funds from the Treasury to improve generation at IPTL," he said.
Full article: http://www.dailynews.co.tz/home/?n=21049&cat=home
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