Small power producers add 30 MW into national grid

DAR ES SALAAM: THE Rural Energy Agency (REA) said that small power producers and developers in the country have generated and contributed over 30 megawatts into the national grid.

REA Director for Renewable Energy Technologies Advera Mwijage revealed this on Thursday in Dar es Salaam during a meeting to guide small power developers of renewable energy projects on how to apply for subsidies for investment and development of their projects.

Mwijage said that the small producers and developers in the country are generating electricity using renewable energy technologies and so far over 30 megawatts that they have generated have been added into the national grid.

He said that the government through REA in collaboration with the World Bank has provided 30bn/- to provide subsidies to the small developers to conduct research on electricity generation projects and supply the power to residents and also sell to the national grid.

“REA provides subsidies to small rural energy developers to help them conduct research and generate electricity to supply to residents but also sell to the national grid,” said Mwijage.

He said one of the REA’s responsibility is to assist small private developers of power projects in the country to generate and sell electricity to the grid and supply it to residents in areas where such energy has not reached.

Speaking during the meeting, he said they have invited the developers to guide them on the best way to submit their applications to REA to apply for subsidies to develop the projects and have a guide on how to apply for the funds that are provided through banks.

“We have invited the banks to listen to how they can partner with these producers to provide funds by collaborating with TIB Bank which is our expert on the project,” said Mwaijage.

He said that so far over 15 producers have benefited from the funds of the project. Speaking on the benefits they have received, the Project Manager of Yovi Hydropower in Mbeya Region, Father Agustino Kulowoga said that REA gave them 100,000 US dollars to start the project.

“Indeed, we are grateful, we were given money by REA and the project started in Msolwa and currently we are progressing well and we are generating one megawatt which is added to the national grid and we sell the power to Tanzania Electric Power Company (Tanesco) who pay us every month,” said Kulowoga.

Director of SSI Energy Company, Steven Maselle said with a solar power generation project in Kahama Shinyanga, they are grateful to REA for providing them with the subsidy, noting that they expect the project to start generating 10 megawatts in December this year.