Tanzania to export electricity to Kenya

Power lines. Tanzania is planning a 2,000MW power supply line to Kenya by 2018. PHOTO | FILE 

By JOSEPH KITHAMA

In Summary

• Tanzania is planning a $300 million energy project that will see it export electricity to Kenya within the next two years. The project is being financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB).
• Tanesco is in the final stage of floating a tender for the design and construction of the line to a border town in Kenya.
• Tanzania, which now depends on gas for 60 per cent of its domestic power consumption, is also eyeing markets in drought-prone Southern African countries.

Tanzania is planning a $300 million energy project that will see it export electricity to Kenya within the next two years. The project is being financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) deputy managing director Deckian Mhaiki told The EastAfrican that part of the project will involve a 2,000MW supply line to Kenya, to be in place by 2018.

Mr Mhaiki said that Tanesco is in the final stage of floating a tender for the design and construction of the line to a border town in Kenya.

He added that Kenya had indicated to Tanesco that it needed about 1,000MW through a double traffic line/ an extension of 1,600km-long backbone electricity transmission line running from the Tanzanian town of Iringa to Shinyanga through the towns of Dodoma and Singida.

Mr Mhaiki, however, said that the construction of the 680km line between Iringa and Shinyanga that had been slated for completion in June, has been delayed for another three months.

The line is also meant to provide mining companies in the Lake Victoria area in Tanzania with reliable electricity.

The Tanesco official said a feasibility study on a $500 million worth project to connect the Tanzanian supply line with that of the Zambia has started as part of a project to link East African and the Southern African electricity pools.

Tanzania, which now depends on gas for 60 per cent of its domestic power consumption, is also eyeing markets in drought-prone Southern African countries.

Currently, Tanzania exports only 1MW of power through cross-border connection to Lungalunga town in Kenya, but imports 5MW from both Kenya and Zambia and 9MW from neighbouring Uganda, to the Kagera region in northwestern Tanzania.