St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) in partnership with European Union has recently launched a solar mini-grid project for Bwisya village inhabitants on Ukara Island, Mwanza.
According to a media statement issued in Dar-es-Salaam, the project inauguration was attended by Ukerewe District Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Mkirikiti; European Union (EU) Delegation – Head of Natural Resources, Mr. Gianluca Azzoni; Chairperson of the Bwisya Village Power Committee, Mr. Lazaro Kabunga; officials from the Local Government Authorities and partners.
The project which started in the year 2014 was implemented by SAUT under the company known as JUMEME Rural Power Supply Ltd (JRPS). The JRPS is a joint venture between three companies, including St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), the German energy supply systems firm, Inensus GmbH and the Austrian renewable energy project developer, TerraProjects.
JUMEME aims at implementing and operating Solar-Hybrid Mini-Grids in remote settlements in
the country and is being co-funded by the EU under the European Commission ACP-EU Energy Facility with a commitment of 17.8bn/- Tanzanian shillings (about 9 M USD).
Speaking at the launching event the Vice Chancellor of SAUT, Rev. Dr. Thadeus Mkamwa who is among the Directors of JUMEME, said that the goal is to set up 300 systems and serve up to one million people in rural areas across Tanzania by 2022, making Jumeme the largest mini-grid operator in the country.
He explained that the power system was set up in Bwisya, the largest village on Ukara Island, where initially 250 customers will be connected to a hybrid power station consisting of a 60 kilowatt peak (kWp) solar PV system, a 33 kVA diesel genset, and a 240 kilowatt hours (kWh) battery bank.
The system will also be extended in the second half of this year to connect the other villages on the island with a total of 2,000 customers. For the implementation of the pilot project in Bwisya, Jumeme received additional co-financing from the Energy and Environment Partnership Program with Southern and East Africa, Phase II.
The mini-grid in Bwisya is the first of 30 systems to be installed by Jumeme over the next two years, supplying reliable electricity to around 100,000 people.
Commenting on the inauguration, the District Commissioner for Ukerewe, Mr. Joseph Mkirikiti, said that the pilot project on Ukara Island was a first step towards a sustainable power supply for many of the remote communities in Tanzania that are still without access to electricity.
The EU Delegation Head of Natural Resources, Mr. Gianluca Azzoni, noted that the project was
yet another showcase of Europe’s commitment to help ensure access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services not only to Tanzanian households in remote settlements but also to agricultural enterprises, businesses and public infrastructure.
“By 2018, the EU funds in this project will see several mini-grids installed providing electricity to 11,000 households, 2,600 agricultural enterprises and businesses, and more than 80 public infrastructures (schools, clinics, religious buildings),” he said.
Source: AMECEA Online News and SAUT