Tanzanian Output Rises with Power Demand

Tanzania's natural gas output rose to 60.3mn ft³ in the June 2018/May 19 period, up from 54mn ft³ in the previous year, according to central bank statistics. And of the total, more than 60% went to power generation the bank said.

"Noteworthy, gas utilised in power generation accounts for 64.4% of total gas produced during 2018/19, followed by industries at 10.6%." 

Tanzania has about 57 trillion ft³ of recoverable gas, most of which lies in offshore fields south of the east African country adjacent to Mozambique, where more than 100 trillion ft³ have been discovered. For now, Tanzania's gas is used for domestic purposes pending the building of a liquefied natural gas complex at Lindi near the gas fields.

Official figures say gas output accounts for 607 MW of the country's electricity capacity. The central bank said the country produced 7.3 TWh of electricity in 2018/19. Thermal power, the biggest contributor, generated almost half, with 3.34 TWh, of which 99.1%, or 3.309 TWh, was from gas-powered turbines. Commissioned in early 2018, Kinyerezi II Power Plant, a 240-MW facility near the capital Dar es Salaam is cited as the most significant addition to the gas sector during the review period. Hydro facilities dispatched 2.2 TWh in 2018, down from 2.3 TWh in 2017.

"Electricity sub-activity that involves electricity generation, transmission and distribution, grew by 5.8% in 2018 compared with 1.0% in 2017 largely on account of completion of Kinyerezi II Power Plant," said the bank.