Maravi

Government is running Indeni efficiently, says energy PS

Government is running Indeni efficiently, says energy PS
By Kabanda Chulu
Thu 29 Mar. 2012, 12:58 CAT

THE government has started a multi-billion kwacha project to refurbish and widen the diameter of the 1,700-kilometre TAZAMA pipeline aimed at boosting supply of fuel to meet increasing demand.

And energy permanent secretary George Zulu has said the government has no immediate intentions to invite a partner in the operation of the Indeni Oil Refinery.

In an interview yesterday, Zulu said the security of a nation is guaranteed through reliable and continuous supply of energy related products.

"I don't have specific figures like costs and timeframe but this is a huge product requiring billions of kwacha and we have started funding it from the earnings that TAZAMA makes from the sales because we want to refurbish and widen its diameter from eight inches and to 12 inches. This will enhance the capacity of the pipeline to meet the increasing demand for fuel products," Zulu said.

"We have started works at Ilinga and Morogoro in Tanzania whose terrain is hilly so the pipeline usually develops some leaks but the Zambian terrain is flat so it will be the last one to be worked on."

He dismissed assertions that the leaks that occurred when an oil tanker was about to discharge oil onto the single buoy mooring (SBM) for onward transmission into TAZAMA pipelines was an act of sabotage.

"Security is guaranteed and regular inspections are carried out along the pipeline which is well protected and it is not possible for anyone to penetrate the SBM facility because it floats at sea about 10 kilometres from shore and that is where the vessel discharges feedstock onto the SBM which is linked with pipes that connects to storage tanks on-shore and then onto the TAZAMA pipelines up to Ndola," Zulu said.

He said the Bitumen plant at Indeni will be commissioned this August to produce 100 tonnes a day. Zulu said the government was running Indeni efficiently.

"Running it with the private sector brought us problems because as a partner their focus is profits and not service to people but now there is stability and smooth operations because government is running it so I don't think there are any immediate intentions to invite a partner, maybe in the future," said Zulu.

Labels: INDENI, TAZAMA

posted by MrK @ 3:29 PM