Tanzania is in talks with the Export-Import Bank of China (EximBank) for a $132-million loan to fund the country’s first wind power project,
the energy ministry said on Thursday.
Tanzania, which relies heavily on hydro-electric power, natural gas and fuel oil for electricity generation, wants to add wind and geothermal power to its energy mix.
The wind farm project to be built in the central town of Singida is expected to have capacity for 50 MW next year, with plans to raise that to 300 MW in future.
The project is a joint venture between State-run National Development Corporation (NDC), state power utility Tanesco and a privately owned company, Power Pool East Africa Limited.
Tanzania, which is estimated to have 53.28-trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, aims to double its power production to 3 000 MW by 2016 to meet rising demand.
