China’s Dalian International Group has said it will start construction of the Singida wind power project in Tanzania in 2014
Dalian International Group vice-president Xu Youliang expressed his commitment towards the project to Tanzanian Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda during his recent visit to China, according to a report in the Tanzania Daily News.
The Chinese firm has planned to develop the US$136mn wind power project along with Tanzania’s National Development Corporation (NDC). Construction of the turbines would be completed and ready to start generating electricity in the Sinigida region by 2015, Youliang said.
Dalian International Group originally announced plans for the project in 2008, but was unable to proceed due to financing issues. The company conducted feasability studies in the region for three years, the Tanzania Daily News reported.
In the first phase of the project, 50MW of power would be generated through the wind turbines and after completion of the second phase, about 150MW of power would be expected to be produced.
While building the turbines, 1,000 Tanzanians would be employed and 17 km of road would be constructed in the area, according to company sources.
NDC director Gideon Nasari said that once this project was completed, it would sell electricity to the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) for US$0.23 per kilowatt hour (kWh).
