President Obama Visits Symbion Power Plant in Tanzania

On Tuesday morning, President Obama and President Kikwete of Tanzania will tour the Symbion Power Plant at Ubungo with Symbion Power LLC Chief Executive Officer Paul Hinks and General Electric Africa President and Chief Executive Officer Jay Ireland III.

The Ubungo power plant represents the kind of public-private partnership we want to replicate across Africa.  The facility had shut down, but Tanzania committed to making reforms in the energy sector, and with support from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, General Electric, and Symbion, it was brought back on-line.  The plant now generates a net output of 112 megawatts (MW) from 4 aero-derivative gas turbines manufactured by General Electric.  By the end of 2013, after completion of two new investments in West Africa, Symbion will own and operate over 1,300MW in East and West Africa.  The company expects to invest at least a further $1.8 billion in power generation and transmission in Africa in the next 5 years.

The Ubungo Power Plant complex is also at the center of Tanzanian state electricity company TANESCO’s power transmission and distribution network.  The power that TANESCO sends to Zanzibar through the new MCC-financed 100MW submarine power cable goes from Ubungo to the Tanzanian coast, where it enters the sea.

During the tour, President Obama and President Kikwete will see a demonstration of the SOCCKET ball by Unchartered Play Co-Founder and CEO Jessica Matthews and Unchartered Play Vice President Victor Angel.  A SOCCKET ball is an energy generating soccer ball that harnesses the kinetic energy generated during play to provide a source of renewable, off-grid power. The ball was invented by Co-Founder Jessica Matthews, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States, when she was 19 years old.

Following the tour, the President will deliver remarks to an audience composed of Symbion and GE management and workers as well as Tanzanian and US officials.  President Obama will be standing in front of the LM 6000 gas turbine manufactured by GE, an adaptation of the same engines found in Boeing 747s and other aircraft.

Paul Hinks, CEO Symbion Power:

"The Power Africa initiative of the United States government addresses the chronic shortage of power in a number of African countries including Tanzania, Liberia, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia and NIgeria. Symbion aims to be at the forefront of Power Africa with investments in these countries within a 5 year time frame.  Today, President Obama stressed the urgency of making these investments and of getting projects off the ground.  This initiative enables companies like Symbion to expand their operations in Africa and it will help move towards a more self-sufficient African continent.  The program will grow into other countries and those of us who with the US government, are founding partners of Power Africa, are hopeful to see more serious investors join us.”