Africa-Press – Tanzania. Tanzania has inaugurated the Julius Nyerere Dam, a new hydropower station with a capacity of 2,115 megawatts, which more than doubles the country’s electricity generation capacity and allows for surplus that can be used for electricity exports and supporting industrial growth.
The Julius Nyerere hydropower project is the largest electricity generation station in Tanzania, built on the Rufiji River at a cost of approximately 7.45 trillion Tanzanian shillings, equivalent to about 2.84 billion dollars.
The Tanzanian president opened the station, confirming that it has helped eliminate the electricity production deficit that has caused frequent power outages in recent years, resulting in economic damage to the country.
The Tanzanian Minister of Energy stated that the inauguration of the Julius Nyerere hydropower project represents the result of significant efforts to ensure the project’s completion and increase the country’s electricity generation capacity.
During the inauguration ceremony, the minister explained that the station includes nine turbines, each with a capacity of 236 megawatts, totaling 2,115 megawatts.
He added that this increase in electricity production has enhanced Tanzania’s ability to meet the needs of economic activities and investments, positioning the country significantly in connecting to the larger electricity market in Africa through participation in regional interconnection plans and projects.
According to the Minister of Energy, Tanzania’s current electricity generation capacity is 4,646 megawatts, while the maximum demand on the national grid is 2,271 megawatts, resulting in a surplus of 2,375 megawatts.
The minister stated that the government, under the leadership of the president, has directed the utilization of the electricity surplus for energy trade with neighboring countries. He added that Tanzania has already signed an agreement with Zambia to export electricity to it.
The president mentioned that the project is expected to increase business and investment opportunities, create new jobs, and raise individual incomes and gross domestic product.
She also criticized those who describe the dam project as a “white elephant” that does not yield returns for the country, emphasizing that the construction of main electricity transmission lines is progressing rapidly to ensure that the produced electricity reaches various parts of the country.
During her remarks on Saturday, following the project’s inauguration, she noted that Tanzania continues to attract investments, leading to a rapid increase in electricity demand.
She added that the current electricity reserves may not be sufficient in the coming years, which is why the government continues to invest in other energy sources, including solar and wind energy.
The president praised her predecessors, including the late Julius Nyerere, for their early vision of the project, and the late John Magufuli for his role in continuing the project’s implementation in 2019.
She also thanked the Egyptian government and the Arab Contractors and Swedish Electric companies for their cooperation in executing the project.
The Tanzanian president affirmed that the success of the project cannot have real value without maintaining peace, stability, security, and national unity, stating, “The dream has been realized, and the project has become possible.”
