Tanzania to benefit from $258 million power interconnection project
What you need to know:
- The 510-kilometer power line, of which 414 kilometers are in Tanzania and 96 kilometers are in Kenya, can transmit up to 2,000 megawatts of electricity.
Arusha. Tanzania is poised to benefit from the Kenya and Tanzania Power Interconnection Project (KTPIP), which is 99% complete.
The $258 million project, which is being implemented by the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) in the Lemugur area of Arusha, involves the construction of a 400-kilovolt power line.
The project, which began in January 2016 and is scheduled to be completed in December 2023, stretches from Singida Region to Babati in Manyara Region to Lemugur in Arusha to the Republic of Kenya.
The 510-kilometer power line, of which 414 kilometers are in Tanzania and 96 kilometers are in Kenya, can transmit up to 2,000 megawatts of electricity.
The project is being funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) on the Tanzanian side.
In a briefing for visiting journalists and officials from the Embassy of Japan and JICA, Tanesco's manager of power generation and interconnection projects, Timothy Mgaya, said that testing and verification of the installed equipment is currently underway.
"Once the project is completed, Tanzania will be able to purchase electricity from neighboring countries such as Ethiopia, which is already connected to Kenya, to address potential shortages. Similarly, the country can sell electricity to other connected countries whenever there is a surplus," he said.
Mgaya expects the power line to be energized next month (November) after the testing and verification exercise is completed.
In addition to connecting the country to the East African power pool, the project also connects Tanzania to the Southern African power pool.
"Whenever Southern African countries purchase electricity from Ethiopia, it will be transmitted through our infrastructure. They will be required to pay fees for using Tanzania's network, generating revenue for the country," he added.
The project will also improve power distribution in Arusha, Kilimanjaro, and Tanga regions through the use of the Njiro power substation. Electricity will first be entered into the Legumur station, where the 400 kilovolts will be converted to 220 kilovolts.
Speaking on behalf of the Japanese ambassador to Tanzania, the embassy's second secretary, Tabuchi Tomoyoshi, said that Japan has been supporting the implementation of energy sector projects, which are of great importance to the country.
