Hydropower queries amid 345MW gap

Dar es Salaam. Questions are emerging over the ability of hydropower stations to produce adequate and reliable power at all times.

This follows the announcement by Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (Tanesco) yesterday of a shortfall of 345 megawatts at hydropower generation stations due to drought.

The power utility firm said in a statement yesterday that the shortfall – which is a result of reduced production capacity at the Kihansi, Kidatu and Pangani hydropower stations – represents a 21 percent fall in its generation capacity, noting that the drop would affect consumers in some parts of the country.

“Since there will be a shortfall in some regions, information will be availed on time so that our clients can plan for their [income generating] tasks accordingly,” Tanesco said in a statement, adding that measures were being taken to bridge the gap.

But the explanation notwithstanding, analysts are of the view that the country might have been duped into putting most of its energies in a multi-trillion shilling hydropower project at the expense of other sources such as natural gas, wind and solar among others.

“We have had a number of viable projects through the Mtwara-Dar es Salaam natural gas pipeline that have either been delayed or left without being attended to. If the power system master plan had been implemented, we would now be having a power reserve,” says economist-cum politician Zitto Kabwe.

His arguments are based on the fact that while hydropower plants have always resulted into power rationing, the country dropped the Mtwara-Dar es Salaam natural gas pipeline and directed all its energies on developing another rain-dependent Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station. A total of Sh6.5 trillion will be invested in the project in an effort to generate 2,115 megawatts.

Though attention has shifted to the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station, the government had already invested about $1.4 billion in constructing the Mtwara-Dar es Salaam natural gas pipeline. Out of the money, $1.2 billion is a loan from the Exim Bank of China.

But with the attention shifting to Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station, the pipeline – which has consumed Sh2.7 trillion of taxpayers’ money - is only utilised by about seven percent of its capacity, according to a past audit by the Controller and Auditor General. Data from Tanesco show that Tanzania’s current electricity production stands at 1,604 megawatts.

Demand has repeatedly been quoted at 1,180 megawatts. Analysts say if that were the case then a shortfall of 345 megawatts, occasioned by the drought, wouldn’t have had any impact on consumers who are already complaining about intermittent power cuts in the past few weeks.

Mr Kabwe said the Tanzanian Power System Master Plan was a credible blueprint by the government to address the country’s energy challenge-electricity that is widely available, affordable and sustainable.

Going by the master plan, a larger share of power from renewable energy is both technically feasible and economically beneficial.

“What is going on in the country at present is that we are paying the price of putting all our concentration and resources only on the Julius Nyerere Hydropower project,” he said.

An economist from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Dr Abel Kinyondo was of the view that natural gas, wind and solar alternative alternatives were long overdue.

“It is high time the country increased the use of natural gas relative to its capacity….the Mtwara-Dar es Salaam gas pipeline cost the country trillions of shillings but its usage is below seven percent of its capacity,” he said, noting that this suggests that Tanzania needs more production centers to increase capacity use.

“Tanesco alone may not have financial resources to do so. This is where the private sector comes in,” he stressed.

Prof Honest Ngowi of the Mzumbe University said the current power problem calls for a strategic energy mix.

It also calls for investments and repairing of infrastructure.

“If repair is done when waiting for new investments it can add power to the grid,” he exuded his optimism.

Going forward, Prof Ngowi added, the country needed to use emergency power generation machines

“We have to do whatever it takes as a country to get electricity. The cost of missing electricity is more than what money can buy,” he recommended.

A lecturer at State University of Zanzibar (Suza), Prof Haji Semboja, said the excuses given by Tanesco were classical excuses given in since the 1990s.

“This suggests a loss of institutional memories and failure to understand the current global energy systems and need to understand future directions,” noted Prof Semboja.