Hello

Your subscription is almost coming to an end. Don’t miss out on the great content on Nation.Africa

Ready to continue your informative journey with us?

Hello

Your premium access has ended, but the best of Nation.Africa is still within reach. Renew now to unlock exclusive stories and in-depth features.

Reclaim your full access. Click below to renew.

Subscribe for a month to get full access

AfDB pledges continued support for Tanzania’s electricity grid expansion

By  The Citizen Reporter

Media/news company

Mwananchi Communications Limited

Dodoma. The African Development Bank (AfDB) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Tanzania’s electricity grid, highlighting the role of the Iringa-Shinyanga transmission line in boosting regional power trade and integration.

Speaking at a press event in Dodoma recently, AfDB officials underscored the project’s significance in supporting the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) and fostering cross-border electricity trade.

The Iringa-Shinyanga transmission line, a 400 kV project spanning 670 km, connects power generation sites in Tanzania’s southern highlands to demand centres in the north. Funded by multiple partners, including the AfDB and the World Bank, it complements an existing 220 kV line, improving reliability for homes and businesses.

Also Read

According to AfDB’s principal operations officer, Mr Andrew Muguwa, the transmission line is set to become a key hub for electricity trading in the region.

“It will be the backbone connecting Tanzania to its neighbouring countries,” Mr Muguwa said. “As much as it is in Tanzania, it has a regional aspect, contributing to the interconnection of the African power grid, from Ethiopia through Kenya and Tanzania, down to southern Africa.”

The transmission line is the only infrastructure currently capable of linking the EAPP, comprising 13 member countries, with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), which has 12 member states.

In the coming years, it is expected to interconnect with Zambia, further enhancing regional energy trade.

Beyond regional benefits, the project has had a direct impact on Tanzanian communities, particularly in improving power supply reliability.

Acting medical officer in charge at Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital, Dr Baraka Mponda, noted that erratic power supply previously forced the hospital to rely on backup generators during outages.

“Now, the hospital rarely uses the backup generator,” he said. “This has encouraged investment in modern medical equipment, including an intensive care unit, an operating theatre with anaesthetic machines, and a central sterilisation unit.”

In the headlines