THE government is set to connect Mtwara Region to the national power grid, Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) Regional Manager Engineer Tawakal Rwahila has said.
He made the revelation recently, saying the plan is among several other projects set to be implemented in the 2023/24 financial year.
"President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan recently witnessed the signing of contracts between TANESCO, REA and contractors and one of the contracts is connecting Mtwara to the national power Grid," he said.
Eng Rwahila said the power grid will be connected to Mtwara Region through Songea-Tunduru and Masasi.
He said the 18-month project to connect Songea-Tunduru and Masasi will cost about 250bn/-, saying the government has set aside 66bn/- in the financial year 2023/24 ready for the project to kick off.
In another development, Engineer Rwahila said implementation of REA phase III round two in Mtwara region is set to be completed within the set period.
He said the signed contractors and REA in the region drew up a plan aimed at ensuring all the villages are connected to electricity as quickly as possible to meet the deadline.
"The contractors came up with a plan that would ensure at least 10 villages are connected every month. The aim is to ensure all the villages are lined up for connection in REA phase III round one and are all connected as planned," he said.
The government has set aside 71bn/- to electrify some 400 villages in Mtwara Region through REA III round two.
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The project is already underway and is set to connect electricity to 276 villages in Tandahimba, Newala and Mtwara at the cost of 42.7bn/-.
The remaining 28.3bn/- would be used to connect 124 villages in Masasi and Nanyambu districts.
Meanwhile Mtwara District Commissioner Hanafi Msabaha has urged residents to vacate part of their land to pave the way for construction of 35 km gas pipeline from Ntorya Gas field to Madimba Gas Processing Plant to give full cooperation to Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) as they embark on implementation of the deal.
Mr Msabaha said construction of the pipeline is Very crucial in production of power to be used by residents in Mtwara and the rest of the country.
Mr Msabaha said many local and foreign investors have shown interest in starting industries saying the natural gas electricity would be used to run the industries.
"As I'm speaking here, there are two Investors who have come into our district who want to start manufacturing industries," he said, noting that one of the industries opened in Mtwara is the Sulphur manufacturing industry.
