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Tanesco ordered to sort out rationing problems
2006-03-01 07:22:37
By Judica Tarimo
Tanzania Electric Supply Company Ltd (Tanesco) was yesterday directed to investigate public complaints over the erratic power-rationing schedule.
The government said it was unfair for some areas to be favoured over others.
’’I want Tanesco to be fair and transparent in the load shedding timetable. Nobody should be favoured, all users must be treated fairly,’’ said the Energy and Minerals Minister, Dr Ibrahim Msabaha, when he addressed members of the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI) and the media.
The ministry convened the meeting to consult with CTI over the best way to cope up with power shortage triggered by diminished water levels at the country’s hydroelectric power stations Mtera, Nyumba ya Mungu and Pangani.
Persistent drought has forced Tanesco to resort to power-rationing throughout the country to save the dams from drying up.
But the minister said: ’’We received frequent complaints from the public that the timetable is abused and some areas are favoured.’’
Msabaha told Tanesco to delve deeper into the issues being raised and uncover the truth about erratic power-rationing.
’’These problems must be corrected immediately.
Tanesco needs to deploy staff to supervise load-shedding to ascertain if the system is efficiently and fairly implemented,’’ said the minister.
Tanesco deputy director of distribution and customer services William Mhando attributed the problems of load shedding timetable to technical problems.
He said the matter would be resolved once the Songas transformer is repaired.
On behalf of industrial consumers, CTI chairman of the steering committee on infrastructures and utilities, Samuel Nyantahe, complained of restrictive systems that prohibit industrialists and businesspeople from accessing electricity from Songas.
’’There is a lot of bureaucracy and red tape for industrialists and business community when it comes to accessing Songas power.
We want Songas power to be available to private industries, factories, etc,’’ observed Nyantahe.
CTI officials said Songas tariffs for private industries and businesspeople were high and prohibitive to consumers who want to buy electricity directly from the project.
They blamed the problem on the contract entered between Tanesco and Songas.
Dr Msabaha directed Tanesco to review its contract with Songas to ensure accessibility of power for other large-scale power consumers.
’’The review must also go into finding how the loss caused by the broken transformer at Songas could be compensated,’’ said the minister.
He said the government is ready to listen to industrialists and businesspeople who want to buy Songo Songo electricity.
’’The government is ready to accept ideas from business and economic sectors on the utilisation of power from the project,’’ said Msabaha.
He dismissed claims that Songo Songo gas project is confined to a few individuals.
Meanwhile, the government said yesterday that the water level at Mtera dam had gradually risen from 687.42 metres on Monday to 687.44 metres on Tuesday.
’’But I’m not satisfied with this situation. The increase is negligible. Let’s pray for the rains,’’ Dr Msabaha said.
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