Extra 350MW expected after commissioning of gas plant

Songo Songo. About 350 megawatts extra are expected to be generated towards the end of September as Madimba, one of the two new gas processing plants, will start supplying natural gas for electricity generation.

Madimba and Songo Songo gas processing plants are part of the projects connected to the 532km long gas pipeline running between Mtwara and Dar es Salaam. Both plants have the capacity to produce 350 million cubic feet per day and the final testing of Madimba and Songo Songo is expected in August and October respectively, according to Mr Kapuulya Musomba, the acting general manager for Gas Supply Company Ltd (Gasco).

Gasco is a subsidiary of the state-run Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC).

“We will start with 80 million cubic feet from Madimba and that are able to generate extra 350MW towards the end of September,” said Mr Musomba as he briefed TPDC board members who visited the Songo Songo project in Kilwa on Monday.

Madimba is supplied by the Mtwara-based Mnazi Bay while Songo Songo will get gas from Pan African Enery operating in the same area.

The gas will be connected to the gas-fired power plants at Kinyerezi and Ubungo and supply Tanzania Electric Company (Tanesco) with reliable power. “When both projects are completed, we will have enough natural gas to produce over 1,000MW but the challenge for now is that current infrastructure does not allow production of such extra power,” said Mr Musomba. The pipeline project, which includes the construction of the 532km gas pipeline and gas purification system, is expected to cost $1.2 billion and will reduce the cost of thermal energy production from $34 cents to $12 cents per unit. Apart from witnessing progress in the gas processing plant, the TPDC board members also went around the new accommodation constructed for Gasco workers once the project starts operations.

The workers will be supposed to be on the plants for 28 days and off duty for another 28 days.

TPDC has constructed 86 rooms which are enough to accommodate staff, executives and other officials in case on retreat. “There is good work going on here and Tanzanians should expect good results soon,” said the board chairman Mr Michael Mwanda.

He also couched the workers who will be involved in the shift to prepare psychologically for the new routine. Earlier, plant manager Kondoro Nteminyanda raised a concern that the new working system will challenge the public servants especially women having babies for living away from their families after every 28 days.

“Working in the oil and gas industry is difficult and risky but because you agreed to work in it then be ready. What’s important is to propose benefits and reasonable packages basing on the best practice in the world,” advised Mr Mwanda.