Windlab Development Tanzania Limited’s Managing Director, Katherine Persson said constriction work of the project is due to start mid next year with completion of phase one after 15 months. Persson said the 100MW electricity will be generated in the first phase of the U$250m project. “We are happy to offer Tanzanians a world-class wind power project which will benefit local communities from Wanging’ombe district upon completion of this project,” said Persson. She further noted that the proposed Miombo Hewani Wind Farm project will be implemented in three phases and will benefit up to a million people connected to the national grid for up to 30 years. Persson, Miombo Hewani has been approved for up to 300MW of generation capacity. The project will be implemented in three phases. “The construction of the first 100MW facility will include up to 34 wind turbines as well as electrical infrastructure connecting the wind farm to the national electricity grid at the Makambako substation,” Persson added. At the completion of the three phases, enough power will be generated to supply up to three million households, based on current per capita usage of the country and will be sold to state owned Tanesco at an affordable price. In May last year, the project received an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) approval from National Environmental Management Council through Minister of State in Vice President’s Office responsible for Union Affairs and the Environment, January Makamba. Windlab’s assets in East Africa currently consist of a pipeline of development projects totaling around 1,650MW of potential capacity, ranging in status from early-stage projects to the approved 300MW Miombo Hewani Wind Farm in the country which has been short-listed in a government-sponsored off take process. In Kenya, Windlab has partnered with the Meru County Government in the development of a hybrid renewable energy project consisting of wind, solar, and battery storage for up to 166MW of generation under a public private partnership scheme. According to the World Bank, Sub-Saharan Africa’s population now exceeds one billion people and enjoys some of the fastest gross domestic product growth rates in the world led by Ethiopia with 8.2 percent, Tanzania has 6.8 percent and Kenya at 5.5 percent last year. “However, the availability of electricity and generating capacity remain very low; for instance, Tanzania has a population of 54million people yet only 1,600MW of generating capacity” she asserted. The Windlab CEO pointed out that East Africa has an excellent wind resource, with significant complementing volumes in the dry season when the hydroelectricity sector is often under pressure to deliver. With the current and future regional interconnectors, an integrated East Africa electricity sector is the best outcome for the rapidly growing population. “We are delighted to secure the support of Eurus as a partner in our East Africa developments. We will work together to expedite the development of our projects in this region,” she explained while stressing that Eurus has already contributed U$ 10 million as equity to back the project. “Windlab East Africa’s (Windlab’s holding company for development) diversified portfolio and the company’s development experience positions it well to capitalise on these opportunities.” said Roger Price, Chairman and CEO of Windlab in a recent press statement.
Windlab Development Tanzania will start constructing a 100 MW wind project in mid-2020. Due for completion by 2021, it is the first phase of the $250m Miombo Hewani wind farm, which will extend over three phrases and eventually have a generation capacity of up to 300 MW. It will be able to supply electricity to around three million households.