How Tanzania is developing nuclear energy
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is poised to transform its energy landscape with a bold commitment to integrating nuclear energy into its national grid.
With a rapidly growing economy that requires 24/7 energy for industrial operations, Tanzania is taking significant steps to ensure that its power generation infrastructure keeps pace with its development goals.
The Tanzanian government is well aware of the limitations of relying on hydropower and fossil fuels. Hydropower, once a mainstay of the country’s energy sector, has become increasingly unreliable due to erratic rainfall patterns exacerbated by climate change.
Prolonged dry spells, like those witnessed in recent years, have dramatically reduced water levels in dams, leading to severe power shortages.
Fossil fuels, on the other hand, pose a different challenge: price volatility. The unpredictability of global oil and gas prices makes it difficult for energy planners to forecast costs, creating further uncertainty for Tanzania’s energy-reliant industries.
Meanwhile, renewable energy options such as solar and wind power, while promising, are not yet a viable solution for Tanzania’s energy-intensive economy. These sources of energy, despite their environmental benefits, are intermittent and cannot provide the continuous, stable power supply needed by industries that operate around the clock. For Tanzania, a country with an abundance of natural resources and a rapidly growing population, ensuring a reliable, long-term energy supply is critical. This is where nuclear power comes into play.
Tanzania’s energy challenges are mirrored across much of Africa. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), around 600 million people and 10 million small businesses in Africa still lack access to reliable electricity.
As the continent industrialises, its demand for power is skyrocketing at a rate twice the global average. Without adequate energy infrastructure, African nations like Tanzania risk falling behind in their development goals.
Tanzania’s current installed power generation capacity stands at 2,641.01 MW. This is woefully inadequate for a country with aspirations of becoming an industrial powerhouse. The government has set a goal to more than quadruple this capacity to over 10,000 MW by 2030.
Meeting this target will require substantial investment in new energy sources–nuclear being the most logical choice given Tanzania’s vast uranium deposits. The incorporation of nuclear power, therefore, represents a vital step forward in Tanzania’s efforts to achieve energy security and meet its economic objectives.
Tanzania’s unique advantage in pursuing nuclear power lies in its substantial uranium reserves. With approximately 58,500 tonnes of uranium, Tanzania is among the world’s more fortunate nations when it comes to the availability of this crucial resource.
Many countries that pursue nuclear energy must import uranium, incurring high transportation and purchasing costs, which makes the energy source more expensive. Tanzania, however, has the raw materials needed to fuel its own nuclear reactors, drastically reducing the cost and making nuclear power a highly attractive option for the country’s energy future.
The country’s Atomic Energy Act of 2003 provides the legislative framework needed to safely develop its uranium resources for energy production.
The Act mandates strict regulations for the use and handling of uranium, ensuring that Tanzania’s nuclear ambitions proceed with all necessary safeguards in place. This legislation positions Tanzania as a trailblazer in East and Central Africa, making it the first country in the region prepared to incorporate nuclear power into its energy mix.
Nuclear energy is not just about electricity generation for Tanzania–it’s about transforming the country’s economy. Reliable, round-the-clock energy is essential for powering industries such as mining, manufacturing, and construction, all of which are vital for Tanzania’s economic growth. By incorporating nuclear power into its energy mix, Tanzania can provide the energy security these sectors need to thrive. This, in turn, will create jobs, attract foreign investment, and foster technological innovation, positioning Tanzania as a leader in Africa’s industrial revolution.
Moreover, Tanzania’s nuclear power ambitions will have a significant impact on its socio-economic development.
As industries expand, so too will employment opportunities for Tanzanians, particularly in high-tech fields associated with nuclear energy and its associated infrastructure. The country’s educational institutions are already exploring ways to train a new generation of engineers, scientists, and technicians to work in the nuclear industry.
The Tanzanian government is also taking steps to upgrade the country’s infrastructure to accommodate its nuclear ambitions. Plans are in place to equip the Dar es Salaam seaport to handle the transport and export of uranium, ensuring that the country can fully capitalise on its natural resources. This infrastructure development is expected to stimulate other sectors of the economy, further boosting Tanzania’s growth prospects.
With vast uranium reserves and a clear governmental commitment to nuclear energy, Tanzania is on track to become a regional leader in energy production. By moving away from the unreliable and unpredictable sources of power that have hampered its growth in the past, Tanzania is embracing a future powered by uranium.
Nuclear energy offers the country a path to reliable, affordable electricity, helping to unlock its industrial potential and secure its place as an economic powerhouse in East and Central Africa.
