Name and location
Mchuchuma coal-to-electricity project, Tanzania.

Project description
The Mchuchuma coal-to-electricity project will involve the construction of a single-product coal mine on the Mchuchuma and Katewaka coalfields that will produce 1,5-million tons a year of coal.
The coalfields have a confirmed coal reserve of 160-million tons.

The mine will produce steam coal of the required grade exclusively for the power station, that will generate power for the national grid.

The proposed power station is to be a conventional, coal-fired station with a capacity of 400 MW.
It is envisaged that the electricity to be generated at the new coal-fired power station at Mchuchuma will be fed into the national grid at Mufindi through a 330-kV interconnecting transmission line.

Further, the development of a village on the shores of Lake Malawi will support the identified infrastructure requirements for the power station and the coal mine.

Future development includes the construction of a minerals-based railway line from the Mchuchuma coal-to-electricity project to the Mtwara port with two spurs.

The mine-mouth thermal power station is intended to increase the reliability and security of grid power in order to attract and enable investments in various sectors of the economy of Tanzania.

Value
A value for the project has not been disclosed.

Duration
The project is planned to be operational by the end of 2011.

Breakdown of main contracts
Not stated.

Client
The National Development Corporation (NDC) of Tanzania, the strategic local sponsor, has been exclusively mandated by the government of Tanzania to develop, coordinate and implement the Mchuchuma project.

Latest developments
The environmental-impact assessment and the environmental management plan reports have been approved by the National Environmental Management Council, and a provisional environmental permit has been issued to the NDC for the implementation of the project.

The NDC has also been granted water rights to pump water from the nearby Katewaka river, for the Mchuchuma mine and power complex.

The feasibility study for the power transmission line, connecting the power station to the national grids has been completed.

Participants
None stated.

Construction materials
Not stated.

On budget and on time?
Too early to state.

Contact details for project information
The NDC, tel +255-22-2112893,
fax +255-22-2113618 or
email ndc@ndctz.com.