Kinyerezi Power Plant – Overview, Locations and Future Plans

Kinyerezi I Thermal Power Station

Kinyerezi I Thermal Power Station, popularly known as Kinyerezi 1 Gas Plant as well as Kinyerezi 1 Thermal Power Station, is a 200,000 horsepower (150 MW) electricity power plant in Tanzania. The power plant is powered by natural gas.

Location of Kinyerezi Dar es Salaam

The power station is situated in the Kinyerezi Ward of Dar es Salaam’s Ilala District. The power plant is next to the 320,000 horsepower (240 MW) gas-powered power station, the Kinyerezi II Thermal Power Station. The power station’s geographical coordinates are: 39°09’18.0″E, 06°51’30.0″S (Longitude:39.155000; Latitude:-6.858333).

Overview

The Tanzania Electricity Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) owns and operates the Kinyerezi I Thermal Power Station. Jacobsen Elektro, a Norwegian Company, constructed the power plant. The plant started producing 70 MW of electricity on October 13, 2015, while full production of 150 MW started on March 31, 2016. As of April 6, 2018, the power station’s capacity was 200,000 horsepower (150 MW). Work is ongoing to add another 248,000 hp (185 MW) to bring the new capacity to 449,000 horsepower (335 MW) by February 2019. 220 kV high-voltage cables evacuate the power generated to a nearby substation. The power is subsequently absorbed into the national electricity grid at the substation. The power station operates on either jet fuel or natural gas.

The station has an installed capacity of 150 MW, consisting of two LM6000pf 40 MW turbines and two LM6000pf 35 MW turbines, all produced by the American company General Electric.

Future Plans for the Kinyerezi I

While the capacity of Kinyerezi I is being expanded to 335 MW by February 2019, the Tanzanian government also had plans to expand the Kinyerezi II to the full 240 MW capacity. Other plans are in place to construct two new gas-powered plants, Kinyerezi IV (450 MW) and Kinyerezi III (600 MW), to bring the complex’s total capacity to 2,179,000 horsepower (1,625 MW).

Kinyerezi II Thermal Power Station

Kinyerezi II Power Station is a 320,000 horsepower (240 MW) electricity generating plant in Tanzania.

Location of Kinyerezi 2 Power Plant

The gas-powered power station is situated in the Kinyerezi Ward in Dar es Salaam’s Ilala District. The plant is next to the 200,000 horsepower (150 MW) gas-powered Kinyerezi I Thermal Power Plant.

Overview

The Tanzania Electricity Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) owns and operates the power plant. It was built by Sumitomo Corporation, with work starting in March 2014 and completed by April 2018. The project was partly financed with loans gotten from JBIC and SMBC. As of April 3, 2018, the station’s capacity was 225,050 horsepower (167.82 MW). Work is ongoing to expand the capacity to the maximum 320,000 horsepower (240 MW) capacity. High-voltage wires evacuate the power generated to a substation nearby to be absorbed into the national grid. The plant is powered by natural gas.

In October 2018, an English-language newspaper, The EastAfrican, disclosed that the extension of the Kinyerezi II Power Plant had been completed, and the newly expanded plant would soon be commissioned.

Future Plans for the Kinyerezi II

While the capacity of Kinyerezi II is being expanded to 240 MW, the Tanzanian government intends to expand the Kinyerezi I Plant from the present 150 MW to 335 MW by February 2019. Other plans are in place to construct two more gas-powered plants – Kinyerezi IV (450 MW) and Kinyerezi III (600 MW).

Funding

The table below presents a breakdown of the funding sources for the building of the power plant

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