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| Image source: Marine Link |
The completion of all the
gas fired power projects will bring the Mtwara-Dar es Salaam gas pipeline into
almost full capacity, the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC)
Acting Managing Director, Mr Kapuulya Musomba, said in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
He said the capacity use of the
1.2 billion US dollars gas pipeline is expected to reach 10 per cent from only
6 per cent currently after the completion of the 240MW Kinyerezi II plant
expected to takeoff next year.
"The gas pipeline full
capacity is expected to be reached by 2022 where most of the gas fired plants
will be completed," he said, adding that currently it may be said that the
pipeline is underutilised due to the delays in the implementations of the gas
fired power plants. He said the gas pipeline has been set up to reach in its
full capacity within 10 years period.
The
construction works of the 240 MW Kinyerezi II worth 432 million US dollars was
launched last year with the government of Tanzania contributing 15 per cent of
the total project investment.
Other gas
fired power projects are the Kinyerezi III and IV. After the completion of all
the projects, the nation is expected to save up to 1 billion US dollars
annually on oil imports for electricity generation.
The 1.22
billion US dollars Mtwara-Dar es Salaam pipeline and gas processing plants at
Madimba and Songo Songo Islands make part of a plan to add about 2,000 MW of
new gas fired electricity generating power by next year to boost the capacity to
10,000 MW by 2025.
Tanzania
recently announced the discovery of 2.17 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural
gas reserves at the onshore Ruvu Basin block 30 km westward from Dar es Salaam
in Tanzania's coastal region, raising the country's reserves to 57.17 tcf up
from 55 tcf in June, 2015.
However, the
country has a potential natural gas reserves up to 441 trillion cubic feet
solely in the coastal region, according to the US Geological Survey.
Article source: allAfrica