In Tanzania’s drive to keep the lights on, Tanzania Electric Supply Co. (Tanesco) has signed a $37-million contract with Aggreko Plc to supply 100 MW of emergency power for 12 months. The East African country announced that it would begin a 12-hour power rationing schedule after decreased rainfall had put a clamp on the Mtera hydrodam.
Under the terms of agreement, Aggreko will provide two 50 MW diesel-powered plants at Ubungo and Tegeta as well as manage the fuel supply associated with power generation. Aggreko chief executive Rupert Soames said, "Having successfully delivered 40MW of emergency power between 2006 and 2008, we are delighted that, following a competitive tender process, we have once again been selected to be of service to Tanzania."
Badra Masoud, the Tanesco Communications Manager, said that the government is seeking other ways to mitigate the power deficit including a 70-MW power project expected to break ground the a few months. The $700 million hydropower plant, developed by Russian firm Zarubezhstroy Corp., is expected to cover 25% of the country’s power demands once completed adding 222 MW to the national grid, she added.
The country might want to check into other power generation options. As seen with the Mtera hydrodam, building other plants that are solely reliant upon hydropower only makes Tanzania’s power generation sector susceptible to droughts. Tanzania currently relies on hydropower for 71% of its total energy generation.
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