CNG mother station set for opening in Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam. The Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Mother Station, constructed by Tanzania’s Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), is scheduled to begin operations next week, the government has announced.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Dr James Mataragio, stated on Monday, January 6, 2025, that the CNG station, located in Ubungo, Dar es Salaam, will start operations on January 16 this year.

He made the remarks after inspecting the construction progress of the station, which was initially scheduled to commence operations in December 2024.

However, the launch was delayed because the ship carrying the CNG equipment arrived late in the country.

“The construction is 80 percent complete, with work ongoing day and night. On January 16, we will start a two-week trial run, and by the end of the month, the first vehicle will be refueled at this station,” he said.

He further explained that the workshop for converting vehicles to use CNG is 90 percent complete.

Tanzania’s Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) project manager for CNG, Mr Aristides Katto, said the filling station will address challenges associated with vehicle gas refueling stations once operations begin.

“This will serve as a primary station, enabling other stations to collect gas for distribution elsewhere. It will also support domestic gas projects, industries, and the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH),” he said.

“The filling station, constructed at a total cost of Sh14.55 billion, will have the capacity to compress gas for three transportation trucks and refuel up to 1,000 vehicles per day once it is fully operational,” he added.

The station's equipment will compress up to three million cubic feet of gas daily, catering to vehicles and industries, including the Kairuki pharmaceutical plant in Kibaha, Coast Region.

The station will feature four gas pumps, capable of simultaneously refueling eight vehicles.