Mtwara Energy Project – Utility Management Services Contract – Training Component

This project involves the creation of a transmission and distribution company from three existing isolated grid networks in Southern Tanzania.  Initially the project experienced long delays in reaching agreement between the Project owners, the Government of Tanzania and TANESCO with respect to franchise arrangements and leasing of the existing T&D assets. Substantive procurement and construction work began in 2009 and continues. The project involves the initial corporatisation of the government owned assets under a long term franchise area lease arrangement, and management of the ongoing operations and maintenance of the company, resources, and infrastructure within the franchise area. MHI is also responsible for the planning, design, and implementation of a $58.5M capital program including strengthening and extension of the 132 kV transmission backbone, extension of the 33 kV transmission network, town conversions to 11 kV distribution, design and installation of several 33 kV and 132 kV substations in the region, and grid extension to connect approximately 48,000 new customers.  All company activities were initially managed by MHI: Strategic Planning, Accounting, Budgeting, Financial Management and Forecasting, Purchasing & Material Management, Customer Information and Billing Systems, Recruitment and Technical training, Human Resources Management and Development, Public Relations, Technical and non-technical loss evaluation and loss reduction, all aspects of engineering and IT software development.  Capacity building within the client’s organization was a key component to this project and over time the client’s staff have been trained and have assumed some of the above mentioned roles.