The Tanzanian government has decided to step up the feasibility study of turning wind energy into electricity in the country.

The Tanzanian authorities are disbursing funds for the completion of a feasibility study on a 50-megawatt wind-to- electricity project in northern Tanzania, according to sources within the Energy Ministry.

The government has directed the Tanzania Electric Supply Company to complete the study within this year and has already disbursed 45,000 US dollars for the purpose.

The feasibility study aims at decision-making on whether to introduce large-scale and grid-connected windmills as an option for electricity generation in the east African country.

The feasibility study is expected to complete by the end of this year.

Initial studies done by Denmark's RISO National Laboratory showed that wind speeds at Mkumbara in northern Tanzania had created sufficient force to turn the windmill turbines for power generation.

The Danish laboratory also conducted studies in three other locations in Tanzania.

Tanzania has been relying on hydropower for electricity generation. But the water levels at the country's major power- generating dams have been very unstable since 1999 due to bad weather conditions, prompting the government authorities to turn elsewhere for safer and cheaper electricity.

Tanzania are resorting to natural gas-fired turbines for supplementary power supplies but thermal power generation has proved to be very expensive.

Source: Xinhua