Washington DC — TANZANIA has announced major investment opportunities in the energy sector worth 12.9 billion US dollars (about 33.23tri/-), as part of its strategy to boost economic growth and improve access to energy services across the country.
Speaking at the Powering Africa Summit on Friday in Washington DC, during a discussion on US-East African Community cooperation, Deputy Minister for Energy, Ms Salome Makamba, said the government is seeking strategic partners to invest across various areas, including power generation, transmission, distribution and clean cooking energy.
In the power generation subsector, Ms Makamba explained, a total of 13 projects are planned for implementation over the next five years, requiring an investment of 2.77 billion US dollars (about 7.2tri/-).
These projects are expected to add 1,421 megawatts to the national grid. Regarding electricity transmission, she noted that 23 projects worth 1.21 billion US dollars are planned, including the construction of 1,350 kilometres of transmission lines and substations.
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Ms Makamba also highlighted significant opportunities in the natural gas sector, noting that Tanzania has over 57 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves that are yet to be fully utilised.
She stressed the importance of investment in exploration, processing and utilisation of natural gas for power generation and industrial applications.
In addition, the government continues to promote clean cooking energy, targeting 75 per cent adoption by 2030.
The initiative includes distributing improved cookstoves, gas and other environmentally friendly technologies.
The deputy minister urged investors at the summit to seize these opportunities, while the government continues to improve the business environment and implement investorfriendly policies.
She was accompanied at the summit by Tanzania's Ambassador to the United States, Else Sia Kanza, along with experts from affiliated institutions such as TANESCO, the Rural Energy Agency (REA) and the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA).
Meanwhile, as the government seeks to attract private capital into the energy sector, the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) is executing multi-billionshilling projects to sustain and boost domestic and industrial natural gas production.
Speaking in Dodoma recently, TPDC Director General, Mussa Mohamed Makame, outlined the country's natural gas production sustainability plan and briefed reporters on various ongoing initiatives.
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He said TPDC is currently overseeing the drilling of three new natural gas wells at Mnazi Bay in Mtwara Region. The 235bn/- project involves drilling three wells within the block.
Two of the wells (MB-5 and MS2) aim to increase existing gas production, while one well (Kasa-1) is expected to open a new gas field.
