WHEN the government announced its intention two years ago to attain 30 per cent electrification level by 2015, it seemed like an impossible mission, as the announcement came when the country was still struggling to address load shedding that was impacting heavily on the economy.
Two years later, load shedding crisis has been overcome with the commissioning of several new power projects, that has seen electrification level reaching 24 per cent, up from 18 per cent when the announcement was made.
The ministry of energy and minerals through the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) has announced that access level is actually 36 per cent.
A combination of strategies, namely reducing power connection fees and general improvement of the generation, transmission and distribution networks has made this possible.
The ministry has overseen reduction in connection fees of between 30 and 77 per cents for single phase customers to ensure more people especially in rural areas have access to electricity.
For example single phase customers in rural areas situated a distance not exceeding 30 metres from the nearest pole, would only part with 177,000/- instead of the earlier 455,108/-.
The strategies are in line with the 2012 Power System Master Plan (PSMP) reflecting and accommodating recent development in the economy, including development in the gas sub sector as well as government policy guidelines.
The policy guidelines include, among others the desire by the government to accelerate economic growth through the Vision 2025, MKUKUTA and the Five Year Development Plan (FYDP). The FYDP targets to improve key infrastructure networks, including power infrastructures to attain low cost energy service that will allow more inflow of foreign direct investment (FDIs) to Tanzania.
The FYDP targets to increase per capita electricity consumption from 81kWh in 2011/12 to 200kWh by 2015/16 through increased generation capacity alongside accelerated electrification programme.
This programme was formulated with the purpose of increasing electrification level from the then current 18.4 per cent to 30 per cent by 2015/16. This implied connecting 250,000 new customers per annum for five years from 2013 to 2017.
"The fundamental objective is also to attain stable power supply in order to achieve Economic Growth, Energy Security and Environmental Protection.
The government of Tanzania set the maximum target to reduce poverty by achieving high economic growth, which could be achieved through a stable and efficient power system.
"The overall objective of the Plan is to re-assess short-term (2013 - 2017), mid-term (2018 - 2023) and long term (2024 - 2035), generation, transmission plans requirements and the need for connecting presently off-grid regions, options for power exchanges with Ethiopia (through Kenya), Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Mozambique, and increased supply of reliable power," reads the PSMP report.
While the short-term plan requires immediate decision and actions, the mid - to longer terms plan require coordinated planning, project development studies which ensures that future supply utilises the least cost projects, consistent with sound planning criteria and addresses national interests.
The 2012 PSMP update was conducted by technical staffs from ministry of energy and minerals, TANESCO, President's Office - Planning Commission, Ministry of Finance, Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation, Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority, Rural Energy Agency and National Bureau of Statistics.
The Plan also incorporated comments from various stakeholders. The Plan stresses government's commitment to accelerate electrification in the country connectivity, with the Rural Energy Policy, and the Tanzania Energy Development and Access Expansion Program (TEDAP) serving to guide the levels of rural electrification.
So far REA has been actively participating in rural electrification mainly in grid extension. Other rural electrification initiatives include; electrification of villages that will be affected by the 400kV Backbone transmission line, MCC funded electrification projects in seven regions (Morogoro, Iringa, Mwanza, Kigoma, Mbeya, Tanga and Dodoma) and electrification expansion programme in Mpanda, Ngara and Biharamulo, among others. Ministry has expressed its confidence that it would also be able to implement 29 key projects identified under the Big Results Now initiative.
The projects being overseen by the Ministerial Delivery Bureau are currently at various stages of implementation and are expected to be completed within the specified three- year period.
The projects duration is from 2013/14 to 2015/16. They include seven projects each in power generation and transmission, 14 power distribution projects and the natural gas pipeline from Mtwara and Lindi to Dar es salaam.
A statement from the ministry on Friday mentioned seven power generation projects currently being undertaken as the 150,240, 300 and 300 Megawatts Kinyerezi I , II,III and IV projects in Dar es Salaam as well as the 50 MW Singida Geo Wind Phase I and 210 MW Kilwa Energy Phase 1.
The power transmission projects on the other hand include the 400 kV Iringa-Shinyanga backbone line, Dar es Salaam -Arusha (kV 400), Makambako- Songea (kV220), Somanga- Kinyerezi (kV 220), North West Grid phase 1 (kV 400) and Dar es Salaam-Dodoma (kV 400).
The statement said smooth implementation of the BRN projects was among the success stories recorded so far by the office under its minister Prof Sospeter Muhongo, who was appointed in 2012.
According to the report, from 2012 to July 2014, power generated in the national grid increased to 1396 Megawatts comparing to 1220 in 2012.
The increase followed completion of 105 MW Ubungo II gas plant and Nyakato's 60 MW Heavy Furnace Oil plant. The ministry's efforts have also seen customers' electricity connection level jumping from 932, 385 (18.4 per cent ) in 2011 to 1,300,000 (24 per cent) this year.
The statement further said formation of an Energy Fund and expansion of power transmission and distribution infrastructures are among strategies undertaken by the ministry for energy and minerals to improve service delivery in the sector.
In its report, the ministry accepts challenges ahead and the fact that majority of rural Tanzanians have no access to modern energy services, hence need for further improvements.
The government maintains that rural Tanzania cannot be transformed into a modern economy, and that rural Tanzanians' livelihoods cannot be improved significantly without a dramatic improvement in their access to modern energy services.
Indeed an improved energy supply in the rural areas through public and private sector participation, will contribute significantly in improvement of the livelihoods of rural populations and the attainment of sustainable economic growth.
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