The office also plans to connect 14,000 new customers this financial year, the state-run power utility company's Regional Manager, Sarah Assey, said over the weekend while giving an evaluation of power availability and the utility firm's plans to expand the service in the region.

 

She said the company plans in 2016/17 to use qualified contractors to improve the distribution system and accelerate the implementation of power projects. "The company has also planned to establish a one stop centre in Mwanza city to provide better services to our customers, all inquiries will be made through the centre," Ms Assey observed, noting that the company has taken various steps, including the construction of the 400kv transmission lines purposely to increase power stability in the lakeside city.

 

"The project is expected to be completed in August (this month)," she said, adding that the company has finished work on installing a special device at the Singida station to boost power supply.

 

As for Rural Energy Agency (REA) projects, Ms Assey said a total of 393 villages in the region are expected to benefit from the project's third phase. She said the government, through REA, had resolved to implement the project's third phase, which started early last month.

 

"Mwanza Region has already prepared and forwarded the proposal of 393 villages, which will be electrified in the third phase," said the regional boss, hinting that the beneficiary villages are from all districts of Mwanza region, with Sengerema leading by having 99 villages to electrify. She mentioned other districts; with their villages in bracket as Misungwi (72), Kwimba (56), Ukerewe (46), Ilemela (37), Magu (33) and Nyakato, which has 22 villages.

 

According to Ms Assey, the power utility firm still faces a lot of challenges, despite the boost in production following the commissioning of the gas power plants under the Kinyerezi I Project, with a total capacity of 150 megawatts.

Source : allafrica.com