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Will these interruptions in power supply finally go?
2007-04-21 09:00:40
By Michael Haonga
The Tanzannia Electric Supply Company (TANESCO), which is the country`s major power generation and supply firm, has given reasons for the ongoing intermittent power disruptions in parts of the country following widespread complaints from customers.
It has also unveiled its short, medium and long-term plans on the matter.
Heartening to investors and the general public in the country is the disclosure that practicable measures have been taken jointly by the World Bank and TANESCO to improve power supply in the country.
This was disclosed in Dar es Salaam recently by TANESCO Managing Director, Dr Idris Rashidi in an interview with this paper on what is in the offing for its customers.
The disclosure to that end comes in the aftermath of raised concern by some customers on intermittent power disruptions affecting various industrial, service and domestic activities in the country.
Speaking in an interview with this paper recently, the Managing Director of TANESCO, Dr Idris Rashidi revealed a number of improvement measures so that its customers can be relieved of the disruptions.
Before pointing at the short, medium and long term plans for improved power supply, he gave numerous causes of power supply disruptions.
Inclusive, is the portrayal that power outages and deterioration in quality are partly a result of technical and non-technical losses which have increased in spite of the efforts taken to arrest the shortfalls.
For instance, overload experienced in some substations and ageing distribution networks are cited to be among causes calling for urgent major maintenance and upgrading of the current transmission and distribution systems.
It was revealed that to improve the situation, TANESCO, the International Development Association (IDA) and World Bank were currently preparing a distribution, rehabilitation and transmission reinforcement.
The reinforcement is at three-fold project aimed at reducing the duration and frequency of power interruptions, improving voltage conditions at consumers premises and reduction of technical and non-technical power system losses.
It was made point blank that power disruptions made consumers complain for frequent and unexplained power outages, which cause unreliable supplies and low voltages.
Aged distribution systems feeding some affected areas call for rehabilitation and upgrading of both 132/33kv or 33/11kv substations, it was underlined.
Over and above that, power instability was also attributed to defective capacitor banks calling for voltage improvement in some places such as Ilala, Ubungo and Njiro Grid substations to mention but a few.
The company attributed other causes of power supply disruptions to vandalism directed at power infrastructure, mainly through theft incidents of transformer oil, distribution conductors and tower members.
Citing other causes of power disruptions, the TANESCO Public Relations Manager, Daniel Mshana revealed that recently the company had to replace eight transformers in Arusha township some of them having been burnt out by lighting strike.
Others were affected by overloading, theft of transformer oil and copper windings.
He cited the areas affected by the disruptions as Sombetini, Mianzini, Tegera Sokoni, Mama Kuku Tengeru, Arumeru River Lodge, Ravji Sunkist and Masai Camp.
`At times, it takes many weeks before restoration of power because TANESCO does not have transformers in stock for immediate replacement,` he said.
It was disclosed also that there were some on -going disruptions that have affected some areas in Dar es Salaam, Moshi, Mwanza and other towns in the country.
TANESCO was portrayed as working around the clock for a solution which hinges mainly on purchasing new transformers from TANELEC in Arusha so as to replace defective equipment in affected areas.
The company calls for concerted efforts by all stakeholders including the general public to take part in guarding power installations in their respective areas.
The Company`s Public Relations Manager, Daniel Mshana, has also disclosed that they have short, medium and long term measures to ensure impeding problems are addressed effectively.
Under short term category, the measures include in the case ofTandika substation, there are tenders for supplying of the overhead conductors 150 ACSR. (Dingo) and the 33kV XLPE power cables.
Works on the defective Capacitor banks at lIala, Ubungo and Njiro grid substations is in progress.
After rectification some stability and voltage improvement to the system can be managed.
The Transmission & Distribution project under the World Bank is planned to cover rehabilitation and Upgrading of transmission and distribution lines; grid substations and distribution 33/11 kV substations in Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions.
The project will also cover construction of new substations in the three regions to increase 33/11 kV capacity to cover for the fast growing demand in the regions.
Project to be sponsored by Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) for Six regions to rehabilitate and upgrade 33/11 kV substations, 33/11 kV lines distribution substations, low voltage lines and meter installations.
The regions covered under the project include
Tanga, Mwanza, Morogoro, Mbeya, Dodoma, and Iringa.
As for the long- category, focus will be on rehabilitation and upgrading of the existing 33/11 kV SCADA system at lIala Substation.
In addition to that work will be on some 33/11 kV substations and lines have been added to the system.
The system will perform fault discriminations in the proposed 33kV ring circuit in Dar es salaam networks in order to enhance stability and availability of power .
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