People and businesses are struggling and government revenues are falling as hydropower dries up, pushing a move toward natural gas
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AlertNet) – A persistent drought affecting much of Tanzania has depleted water levels in the Great Ruaha River, plunging much of this hydropower-reliant country into power cuts that are hurting businesses, tourism and government revenue.
The drought, attributed to the effects of climate change, has substantially crippled the operations of major hydropower facilities along the river. Clearing of trees and vegetation by villagers in the river delta is contributing to further water loss.
According to the state-owned utility firm TANESCO, hydropower can generate up to 561 megawatts – 71 percent of the country’s overall production – but the drought has reduced current capacity to just 120 MW.
The water level at Mtera dam, the largest hydropower reservoir, is receding by almost 3 cm every day, according to TANESCO’s chief engineer, Julius Chimola.
Chimola, who oversees operations of the dam, says the water is now only 1.4 metres above the minimum level required to run the turbines.
Local villagers complain that the drought has made it almost impossible to fish in the river any longer, depriving them of their livelihood.
“It is very difficult to make a living here. There are no fish to sell. We can also hardly do any farming (because) it is too dry,” says Mtera resident Juma Magambo.
LITTLE RAINFALL AHEAD
The worst is probably yet to come as meteorological authorities predict insufficient rainfall in the coming months, especially in the central and southeastern zone of Tanzania where the major hydropower generation plants are based.
“We expect some short rains in late October and November but I do not think it is going to make any difference as far as electricity production is concerned,” says Agnes Kijazi, head of the Tanzania Meteorological Agency.
Tanzania’s electricity supply has long been erratic because of the national grid’s reliance on hydropower, which is dependent on rainfall.
But the current power crisis is creating increasing difficulties for people from all walks of life.
Shopkeepers in Tabora, barbers in Morogoro, garment dealers in Arusha and top hoteliers and CEOs of multinational companies in Dar es Salaam have all felt the pinch of going without electricity as TANESCO schedules power cuts.
In the sprawling suburb of Kariakoo in Dar es Salaam, an array of noisy generators testifies to business owners’ efforts to woo customers whenever there is no electricity.
Traders say the number of customers has dwindled by the day since power rationing was introduced.
“Nothing goes as planned here without electricity,” complains Japhet Massawe, a butcher who has temporarily switched to selling fried Nile perch from Lake Victoria because his meat storage facility cannot function reliably.
Mariam Hamisi, a 26-year-old who runs a hairdressing salon in the Sinza area of Dar es Salaam, says she has incurred huge losses since the chaos began.
“It is very hard. Imagine – power goes off at eight o’clock in the morning until evening. Sometimes it goes off indefinitely,” complains Hamisi.
“Worse still, all the machines you see here need electricity. How on earth can I make a profit?” she asks.
The power crisis is also hurting the country’s factories and its hospitality and tourism industry.
MANUFACTURING LOSSES
According to the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI), manufacturers have suffered losses of over 16 billion Tanzanian shillings (about $10 million) since May.
CTI official Hussein Kamote said the ongoing power cuts have had a dual effect, hurting business while denying the government tax revenues. Recent statistics indicate the government has lost more than 4.8 billion shillings ($2.9 million) in taxes in four months.
Members of the Hotel Association of Tanzania, an umbrella organization of 80 major hotels, said they were incurring extra costs for fuel to run generators.
In a recent interview published online, the association’s chairperson, Damas Mfugale, said that power cuts were damaging the image of tourism in Tanzania.
“Visitors don’t appreciate traffic lights not working, elevator breakdowns, and no lights in hotel rooms,” Mfugale said.
The government is planning a number of measures to improve the power situation, including exploitation of abundant natural gas supplies found near Songosongo island in the Indian Ocean.
The Songosongo gas has the potential to meet nearly half of the country’s peak demand for electricity, says engineer Joyce Singano of Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation.
The 424 billion shilling ($258 million) Songosongo project comprises an offshore gas field and a processing plant with the capacity to produce over 105 million cubic feet (about 3 million cubic metres) of natural gas per day.
Operated by PanAfrican Energy Company, an international private investment firm, the project has a 229 km (143 mile) pipeline connected to an electricity plant in Dar es Salaam. PanAfrican currently sells about 200 MW of power to the government.
By expanding the existing gas infrastructure and producing its own natural gas to fuel power generation plants, thus reducing oil imports, Tanzania expects to save about 67.2 billion shillings ($41 million) annually, according to World Bank estimates.
Switching from hydropower generation to fossil fuel use, however, is expected to increase the country’s emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gases.
Kizito Makoye is a journalist based in Dar es Salaam
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