DAR ES SALAAM, Aug 24 – Tanzania has commissioned its largest hydropower plant, a 2,115-megawatt facility that has more than doubled the country’s electricity generation capacity and created a surplus that could support exports and industrial growth.
The Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP), built on the Rufiji River, cost about 7.45 trillion Tanzanian shillings ($2.84 billion). President Samia Suluhu Hassan officially inaugurated the project on Saturday, saying it would help address the power shortages that have previously caused frequent blackouts and disrupted economic activity.
Hassan said the new plant would create more opportunities for businesses and investors, while supporting production, job creation, household incomes and overall economic growth.
The project has raised Tanzania’s total electricity generation capacity to 4,646 MW, compared with peak demand of 2,271 MW. This leaves a surplus of about 2,375 MW that could be available for export, according to Energy Minister Deogratius Ndejembi.
Ndejembi said Tanzania was already discussing electricity exports with several neighbouring countries, including Kenya and Zambia. The additional power could therefore strengthen regional electricity trade while giving Tanzania more capacity to support industries and other economic activities.
Construction of the hydropower plant began in 2019, but the project faced opposition from conservation groups because of concerns about its potential impact on wildlife and habitats downstream. The dam is located on a river that runs through the Selous Game Reserve, one of Africa’s largest protected areas.
The reserve is home to important populations of wildlife, including elephants, black rhinos and cheetahs, as well as a wide range of natural habitats, according to UNESCO.
Hassan acknowledged the controversy surrounding the project but defended the decision to continue with its construction, saying the government considered the plant too important to abandon.
With the new facility now operating, hydropower accounts for about 60% of Tanzania’s electricity generation, while natural gas also provides a significant share of the country’s power supply.
The commissioning marks a major expansion of Tanzania’s electricity infrastructure and gives the country additional capacity to meet domestic demand, support industrial activity and potentially supply power to neighbouring markets.
