First government-owned solar power plant to add 150MW to grid
What you need to know:
- The first fully government-owned solar plant in Tanzania, will eventually add 150 megawatts (MW) to the National Grid upon completion.
Dar es Salaam. The government, through the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco), is set to launch a 50-megawatt solar power project in Ngunga village, Kishapu District, Shinyanga Region, this October.
This project, the first fully government-owned solar plant in Tanzania, will eventually add 150 megawatts (MW) to the National Grid upon completion.
Commissioner for Electricity and Renewable Energy, Innocent Luoga, told The Citizen that the project will be implemented in two phases. The first phase, started in December 2023, will generate 50MW and is expected to be completed by October 2025. Phase two will add another 100MW, starting in October 2025 and concluding in March 2027.
Luoga explained that Tanesco’s local experts are overseeing the project, with a total investment of Sh323 billion.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Dr Doto Biteko, officially launched the initiative by laying the foundation stone in March last year.
“The construction includes installing photovoltaic solar panels with a combined capacity of 150MW, building a 33/220kV substation, and a 220kV transmission line linking Singida to Shinyanga to integrate power into the National Grid,” he said.
Chinese firm Sinohydro Corporation Limited is leading the construction, while French company JV Artelia provides consulting services.
The project is expected to increase national electricity generation, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and create over 600 jobs during construction.
It will improve power availability in the Lake Zone, attract investment, support economic growth, and reduce environmental impact through clean energy.
“This marks a major milestone in Tanzania’s renewable energy transition and strengthens national energy security,” Luoga said.
Dr Biteko told the Parliament about three months ago that several other privately-owned solar-power projects were currently in various phases which could produce at least 114 MW of electricity. These include SSI Energy in Kahama and Ikina in Geita which will produce 10 Megawatts each while Nyasoro in Bunda and Isangawana in Chunya will each produce 8 Megawatts.
Tanzania’s installed production capacity for electricity, Dr Biteko said, currently stands at 4,031.71 MW, with the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam alone accounting for 2,115 MW
