American multinational conglomerate General Electric (NYSE: GE) has recently completed the upgrade of the gas turbines, ahead of schedule, at Tanzania’s Songas Ubungo Power Plant in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
The power-plant, which began commercial operations with its gas turbines in 2008, has an installed capacity of 110 megawatts and provides more than 20% of the grid-connected power in Tanzania.
The upgrade of 3 GE’s LM6000PA and one LM6000PC aero-derivative gas turbines improve the plant’s efficiency and reliability, the company notes, enabling to maintain the power station in the most economical way possible.
Elisee Sezan, CEO for GE Power business in sub – Saharan Africa commented: “Our goal is to bring long-term value to our customers and their power plants, like Songas, to maintain it in the most efficient way possible and, ultimately, contribute to Tanzania’s economic and social development.”
Nigel Whittaker, Managing Director of Songas Ltd added: “The successful completion of this project not only improves Songas’ performance levels but through the additional reliable supply of electricity, continues to contribute to the economic development of the country, making a significant difference in the lives of Tanzanians.”
Tanzania has abundant energy resources such as hydro, natural gas, coal, uranium, wind, geothermal, biomass, solar, tidal and waves.
The country has an installed power capacity of 1.5 GW of which hydroelectric 568 MW, thermal: 925 MW, and other renewables: 82.4 MW.
The Tanzanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral has issued its Power System Master Plan (PSMP) update 2016.
The overall objective of the Plan is to re-assess short-term (2016 – 2020), mid-term (2021 – 2025) and long term (2026 – 2040), generation and transmission plan requirements and the need for connecting presently off-grid regions, options for power exchanges with neighboring countries, and increased supply of reliable power.
Under the new Plan, Tanzania hopes to triple its power generation output by 2020, and boost access to the national grid.
