The Chief Executive of Symbion Power, Paul Hinks
A 600MW gas power plant and transmission line is involving US-based
Company, Symbion Power and Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco).
Speaking in an interview with The Guardian at the just ended two
day Power Africa Forum held in Dar es Salaam last week, Symbion Power
Chief Executive Officer, Paul Hinks said that the construction for the
gas power plant will start next year and expected to complete in 2019.
Hinks also said that after completion, Tanzania for the first time
in the history will start exporting electricity to nearby countries such
as Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Northern Mozambique and Zambia.
“The 600MW gas power plant will see Tanzania exporting electricity
to nearby countries, we believe shortly after two years of construction
from 2017 to 2019, the project will expect to be completed,” he said.
“We will build the 600MW gas power plant and transmission line in
Mtwara, where we will partner Tanesco. We have chosen to build the gas
project in Mtwara because the region has been neglected, we want to
stimulate the social and economic project over there,” he said.
He added: “The 600MW gas power plant and transmission line in
Mtwara is one of the major biggest power projects in Tanzania and we are
also welcoming other more investors in this project that will help the
nation and neighbouring countries to have no problem with electricity”
He pointed out that the power plant and the transmission line to
Songea will provide access to electricity to the whole southern part of
Tanzania, and there has never been a grid connection there to ensure the
southern region and the entire country are supplied with the power.
He underscored that the cost of the whole project including the transition line to Songea will cost USD 1.3 billion.
For his part, Tanesco’s Deputy Managing Director-Investment,
Decklan Mhaiki said: “The 600MW gas power plant and transmission line
is the biggest project in the country, we are happy to see the US
government under President Obama supporting this project, under Power
Africa initiative as well as the Symbion Power”
As part of its support for US President Barack Obama’s African
Power initiative, the African Development Bank (AfDB) is set to deepen
and expand its efforts in reforming the energy sector.
AfDB which is one of the major investors in the energy sector has
pledged to scale up funding for energy production, transmission and
distribution infrastructure, cross-border power pools, as well as
government policy and regulatory reforms.
The Bank will particularly emphasize reforms for national power
utilities, many of which are in need of better business models and
financial reinforcement.
However, Symbion Power Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Symbion Power. Based in Washington DC, Symbion Power Services serves as a
vital local contact between U.S. agencies, other U.S. companies, and
Symbion Power’s management teams throughout the world. Symbion Power
Services also provides important support and other administrative
functions for the Symbion Power organisation.
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