TANESCO tasked to ensure a timely completion of solar power plant in Shinyanga

SHINYANGA: THE Minister for Energy, Deogratius  Ndejembi, has directed the Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) to closely supervise every stage of the implementation of the second phase of the 100-megawatt solar power plant project to ensure it is completed on schedule, meets the required quality standards and delivers value for money.

The minister issued the directive in Kishapu District, Shinyanga Region, shortly after witnessing the signing ceremony marking the commencement of the project, which is expected to be completed within 17 months.

He instructed TANESCO to ensure the contractor fully complies with all contractual obligations, implementation timelines, quality standards, occupational safety requirements and environmental protection measures throughout the execution of the project.

Ndejembi also called on residents living around the project area to continue cooperating with the government and safeguard the project’s infrastructure, stressing that it is a national asset belonging to all Tanzanians.

The minister further directed TANESCO to prioritise the use of Tanzanian professionals wherever possible to facilitate technology transfer and skills development, thereby strengthening the country’s local technical capacity.

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“There are young people who worked on the first phase of this project. Although the contractor for this phase is different, those youths, together with others from Kishapu, have already acquired valuable skills. The contractor should ensure they are engaged so they can participate in implementing this project,” Ndejembi said.

On Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, the minister instructed that five additional classrooms be constructed under the second phase of the project, following the successful completion of three classrooms during the first phase.

He also directed TANESCO to work closely with the Rural Energy Agency (REA) to ensure that villages and hamlets in the project area that have yet to receive electricity are connected to the national grid before the project is completed. The directive also covers the electrification of public institutions, including schools, dispensaries and health centres.

The second phase of the solar power project is expected to strengthen Tanzania’s renewable energy generation capacity while supporting the government’s broader agenda of expanding access to reliable and affordable electricity across the country.