Tanzania embarks on Sh513 billion Chalinze-Dodoma power line project
The transmission line will span 345 kilometers and cost Sh419 billion, with Sh94 billion allocated for substation expansions. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The government has already advanced Sh107.93 billion to the contractor, TBEA Co. Ltd, marking 20 percent of the total project cost.
Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco), under the Ministry of Energy, has commenced construction of a 400kV transmission line from Chalinze to Dodoma.
Fully funded by the government at a cost of Sh513 billion, the project aims to strengthen Tanzania’s energy infrastructure and ensure reliable electricity supply to support national development.
The initiative, which also includes the expansion of the Chalinze (400/220/132KV) and Zuzu (400/220/33KV) substations, is expected to be completed within 22 months, from November 2024 to September 2026.
Speaking about the project, Deputy Prime Minister Doto Biteko highlighted its alignment with the 2020 Power System Master Plan (PSMP).
“This project is critical to transmitting electricity from the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant (JNHPP) and ensuring reliable power for economic and social development,” he said.
Key objectives of the project include transmission of 2,115 MW of power from the from JNHPP to areas of high demand; support for industrial and mining Regions by enhancing electricity supply to Northwestern, Northeastern, Central and Southern Tanzania as well enabling interconnection with the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) and Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) for regional power trade.
The transmission line will span 345 kilometers and cost Sh419 billion, with Sh94 billion allocated for substation expansions. The government has already advanced Sh107.93 billion to the contractor, TBEA Co. Ltd, marking 20 percent of the total project cost.
So far, line surveys and marking has been completed while soil investigations are 90 percent done. Design work has begun.
Site clearance at Chalinze is 80 complete, with soil investigations ongoing.
A senior lecturer at Dar es Salaam University College of Education, Dr Abel Kinyondo, underscored the importance of electricity in driving productivity. “Government efforts to ensure electricity availability are vital, but accessibility must also be prioritized for development,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Biteko emphasized the project’s transformative potential, noting it will bring significant socio-economic benefits to regions across Tanzania, improving living standards and fostering industrial growth.
The government, through Tanesco, remains committed to delivering the project on schedule, adhering to the highest standards of professionalism and efficiency.
