Stiegler’s Gorge preps ticking
THE Government announced yesterday that it was conducting due diligence in respect of several firms that applied to undertake the construction of a 2,100 megawatts Rufiji Hydropower project at Stiegler's Gorge along the Rufiji River in July, this year.
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Minister for Energy, Dr Medard Kalemani, told some members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy and Minerals that the investigation would enable the State decide on which firm should execute the milliondollar first largest hydroelectric project.
It is on record that five companies had been shortlisted from a pool of 17 that applied for the lucrative deal whose tendering process was opened in December, last year. Dr Kalemani said: “It’s not too late for the government to implement the project.
It could have taken us five years but I can confirm to you that we are on the right track.” Tanzania aims to boost its power generation capacity to feed the demand for domestic and now industrial use. Continues onCurrently, the existing hydropower projects have a combined capacity to generate 560 megawatts.
The Rufiji project will add over 2,100 megawatts, which is nine times the capacity of the current large hydroelectric project, Kidatu, that produces 204 MW. Dr Kalemani told MPs that all government institutions charged with the sustainability of the project were striving on crafting the right scenario, especially infrastructures at the site.
“We have already connected three villages with electricity and the plan is to build electricity infrastructure to the site to allow the selected contractor to start work immediately,” he said. According to the minister, the ministry responsible for Works, Transport and Communication was also getting set to construct a road network to facilitate transportation of facilities needed during the execution.
Giving details, Engineer John Mageni from the Ministry of Energy, said construction of the hydro facility would involve building a main dam and appurtenant structures, with expected reservoir length of 100 km, covering an area of about 1,350 square km.
The dam height is about 134 metres. Rufiji will have an installed capacity of at least 2,100 MW, with a minimum guaranteed annual firm energy of 5,920 GWh. The facility will include a 400-KV switch yard. The ministry anticipates that the facility will contain nine vertical Francis turbines, each with a capacity of 200 MW to 300 MW.
The government says it had so far connected 412 new villages under the first round of Rural Energy Agency Phase III which targets to connect at least 7,873 villages countrywide. About 5100 villages will be reached during the first round or REA III and 2773 others will be connected during the second round that is expected to start next July.
Stiegler’s Gorge preps ticking