Tanzania

Geothermal surface manifestation - hot spring

Energy sector

Tanzania’s power sector is dominated by a single national utility, Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO). The total installed electricity generation capacity is 1521 MW (2013), of which ca. 60% are thermal-based (liquid fuels and gas)while the rest is hydro-based. National electricity coverage is actually about 18.4%, with only around 30% of urban and about 2% of rural population having access to electricity. At present, Tanzania is recovering from an energy crisis that can be attributed largely to hydropower generation capacity drop due to several years of adverse climatic condition with little rainfall and long periods of drought. This caused significant load shedding and outages in electricity supply. The Government of Tanzania intends to diversify the country’s energy mix and is looking for alternative sources of energy.

Geothermal power generation is regarded as one opportunity to contribute to the stabilisation of energy supply and energy prices. The Ministry of Energy and Minerals of Tanzania (MEM), the Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST), TANESCO and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) initiated a project in June 2006 with the title “Geothermal as an Alternative Source of Energy for Tanzania”. The objective of this project is to enable Tanzanian institutions to move further on evaluating the country’s geothermal potential.

Geothermal potential

Tanzania’s large geothermal potential is still untapped and has only been explored to a limited extend. Estimates suppose that the geothermal potential of Tanzania is as high as 650 MW.

 Most of the identified geothermal resources occur in three regions:

• in SW Tanzania in the Rungwe volcanic field, where the project site Songwe-Ngozi, is located,
• in northern Tanzania at the southern end of the eastern branch of the East African Rift system (Gregory Rift) and
• in eastern Tanzania (e.g. Rufiji Basin) along the Proterozoic mobile belt around the Tanzanian Craton.

Project description

The Technical Cooperation Project “Geothermal as an Alternative Source of Energy for Tanzania” between BGR, MEM, GST and TANESCO was initiated in June 2006 and ended in December 2013. The project aimed at supporting the development of the geothermal power sector in Tanzania. Main components of the project are:

• Training of Tanzanian experts in acquiring, analysing and interpreting of exploration data
• Recommend potential locations for geothermal exploration boreholes at Songwe-Ngozi prospect on the basis of modern geothermal exploration methods
• Enabling MEM and GST to continue with geothermal exploration works
• Dissemination of information about possibilities of geothermal energy use in Tanzania among decision makers
• Support in search for funding for shallow drilling in the area west/northwest of Ngozi Crater (project area).

At the latter site, MEM, GST, TANESCO and BGR have carried out detailed geological, geochemical and geophysical investigations (2006, 2007 and 2010) to assess the geothermal prospect and to locate a geothermal reservoir. The interpretation results of the  field work have been summarized in a report and sites for geothermal exploration drilling have been recommended .

Recent developments

In 2014, the Tanzanian Geothermal Development Company became operative and took the responsibility for Tanzania's Geothermal Development. BGR formed a bilateral project with Tanzania "Support to the Energy Sector".

Cooperation partners:

• Ministry of Energy and Minerals (MEM)
• Geological Survey of Tanzania (GST)
• Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO)

Contact:

TGDC Tanzania Geothermal Development Company