Dar es Salaam: THE Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA)’s Board of directors of visited compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure in Dar es Salaam on Saturday as part of efforts to educate themselves on the progress of the natural gas sub-sector in the country.

The visit included tours of CNG service stations operated by Rafiki and Tembo Energies located in Tabata ToT, as well as the TAQA Dalbit station on Sam Nujoma Road.

The Board also visited the offices of Shields Engineering and Safety Solutions—a CNG infrastructure certification company—based in the Ubungo Maziwa area.

Speaking during the visit, the Chairperson of the Board’s Energy Committee, Eng Ngosi Mwihava, said the purpose of the visit was to gain a deeper understanding of the activities of various stakeholders in the natural gas sector in order to enable more effective and informed regulation.

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“In the natural gas value chain, especially on the consumption side, there are many stakeholders involved in different activities. Some of these activities fall under EWURA’s oversight. For us to regulate effectively, we need to understand how these operations are carried out and the challenges they face, so that we can find appropriate solutions,” said Eng Mwihava.

As of now, there are a total of nine (9) CNG stations in the country, two of which are used privately at the Dangote Cement Factory.

Compressed natural gas in Tanzania is mainly used to power vehicles, in industrial processes, and for cooking—an example being Serena Hotel in Dar es Salaam.

The number of vehicles using CNG has reached 15,000 and continues to grow as infrastructure and public awareness improve.