Dodoma. The government has set a target of increasing Tanzania’s electricity generation capacity to 8,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030, opening up significant investment opportunities in the energy sector.
Deputy Minister for Energy Salome Makamba said on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, that the government was seeking investors with the financial, technological and technical capacity to participate in implementing various energy projects.
Ms Makamba made the remarks in Dodoma during talks with executives from PowerChina, led by the company’s Vice President for East and Southern Africa, Yu Haian.
The meeting focused on investment opportunities and potential areas of cooperation between PowerChina and Tanzania’s energy sector.
She said the country planned to achieve the generation target through a diversified energy mix, including hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal energy.
“The government intends to achieve this increase in generation by using a mix of different energy sources, including hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal. This will strengthen energy security and improve the reliability of electricity supply for citizens and economic activities,” said Ms Makamba.
She stressed the importance of private-sector participation in expanding electricity generation capacity and strengthening energy infrastructure.
The deputy minister’s remarks come as Tanzania seeks to expand its power generation base while ensuring a reliable supply of electricity to support industrialisation, investment and economic growth.
Mr Yu said PowerChina was attracted by investment opportunities in Tanzania, particularly in electricity generation, transmission, distribution and storage.
He said Tanzania had abundant water, solar, wind and geothermal resources that could be harnessed to increase electricity generation and enhance energy security.
Mr Yu said PowerChina had conducted research into Tanzania’s energy plans and identified significant opportunities for cooperation with the government.
He added that the company had extensive experience in implementing large-scale energy projects globally, including hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal generation, transmission lines and modern energy-storage technologies.
“PowerChina is ready to work with the government on renewable-energy projects, particularly solar, wind and geothermal developments, as well as electricity-storage systems,” he said.
These include battery energy-storage systems and pumped-storage technology, which can help improve the stability and reliability of the national grid.
The proposed expansion comes after Tanzania increased its electricity generation capacity through major investments in generation and transmission infrastructure, with the government seeking to create sufficient power capacity to meet rising demand from households, businesses and industries.
