Tanzania’s Minister of Energy and Minerals, Sospeter Muhongo, issued an edict to the Tanzania Geothermal Development Company (TGDC) to begin drilling. The minister said the company must start drilling three holes in the Lake Ngozi area by June 2016.
This is the first step before building plants to produce geothermal power.
“We cannot continue waiting due to the elevated shortage of power the country experiences while Tanzania is among countries whereby the Rift Valley coverers huge area compared to other countries within a region,” he said.
Muhongo advised the company to continue with research in an area which has had similar indicators of the existence of geothermal within Lake Ngozi and other areas with similar indicators, including Mbaka area in Rungwe district.
Three foreign companies including Symbion Tanzania have already shown interest to invest in geothermal in collaboration with TPDC. “We invite other potential investors to chip-in and invest in this area which has proved to produce reliable and sustainable power,” he said.