Siphofaneni – The Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, HRH Prince Lonkhokhela, visited the Phuzumoya Strategic Fuel Reserve Facility on Wednesday as government reviewed progress on one of the country’s largest energy security projects. The site is located in the Siphofaneni Constituency and is regarded as a national priority due to its role in safeguarding Eswatini’s fuel supply.
The tour brought together senior government officials, project stakeholders and members of the media, who were taken through the ongoing works led by the Eswatini National Petroleum Company. The project aims to secure 80 million litres of storage capacity, which government says will provide at least 60 days of national fuel cover. Officials say this is intended to protect the country from future global fuel supply disruptions.
According to project managers, notable progress has been recorded. The 25 hectare site has been fully fenced and topsoil has been removed across the main development zones. Boreholes have been drilled and the access road has undergone grading and compaction, including widening at the entrance to accommodate heavy duty project traffic. Excavation work for the first four tank foundations is complete while digging for the second phase continues. Platform preparation for the site office and batch plant has also been finalised through gravel filling and compaction.
The project carries an estimated cost of about E5.2 billion and is expected to take three years to complete. It is being executed by the Eswatini National Petroleum Company through contractor Overseas Electrical Engineering.
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