Tanzania banks on JNHPP project to meet electricity demand, serve as regional business hub

UTETE: THE Tanzanian government said it bets on the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project to transform its electricity generation capacity and strengthen the country’s position as a major business and investment hub in East Africa. This was revealed by the Managing Director of the Tanzania Electricity Supply Company Limited (TANESCO), Lazaro Twange during the launching ceremony of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant in Rufiji on Saturday stating that the Rufiji-based project, designed with nine generating units, will produce a combined 2,115 megawatts, significantly boosting the country’s power supply and supporting economic and commercial expansion. Additionally, the MD describing the dam as a major strategic engineering undertaking equipped with modern infrastructure designed to strengthen Tanzania’s energy security and economic potential.

“The project’s nine turbines will substantially expand Tanzania’s electricity generation capacity, creating greater room for industrial growth, investment and trade,” he said. The government, through TANESCO, signed the construction contract for the project on December 12, 2018, with Egyptian firms Arab Contractors and Elsewedy Electric. A day earlier, on December 11, 2018, the government assigned TANESCO responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the project.

Twange said TANESCO subsequently signed an agreement with TANROADS on April 17, 2019, covering consultancy and supervision of some project activities. According to Mr Twange, the dam is one of Tanzania’s largest and most strategic infrastructure projects, comprising six key components that make up the power-generation complex. The reservoir has a storage capacity of approximately 32.784 billion cubic metres of water, with inflows coming mainly from three rivers.

The Kilombero River contributes about 65 per cent of the water, followed by the Luwegu River at 19 per cent and the Ruaha River at 15 per cent. The scale of the project is expected to give Tanzania a stronger and more reliable electricity base, supporting industries and businesses while positioning the country to attract more investment and expand its role in regional trade. The post Tanzania banks on JNHPP project to meet electricity demand, serve as regional business hub appeared first on Daily News.