By AlfredZachariaAs we celebrate Christmas and New Year 2025, Tanzanians have every reason to take pride in the remarkable journey of transformation in the energy sector, particularly in electricity.
Did you know that before independence in 1961, the country generated electricity using oil, with each region operating independently, and there was no national grid system?
The journey of transformation began in 1967 with the construction of the Hale hydropower station, which had a capacity of 21 megawatts, and the development of a power transmission line from Hale to Dar es Salaam. This marked the beginning of the national grid system.
Recognizing electricity as a key driver of economic growth, various power projects were implemented over the years. In 1968, the Nyumba ya Mungu hydropower station with an 8 MW capacity was built. In 1975, the Kidatu power station (204 MW) was constructed, along with a transmission line from Kidatu to Morogoro and Dar es Salaam.
This journey continued under successive national leaders, leading to the construction of the Mtera power station (80 MW) in 1988 and transmission lines linking Mtera to Iringa and Dodoma, thus expanding the national grid network.
Subsequent projects included the New Pangani Falls power station (68 MW) in 1995 and natural gas-fired plants such as Songas (189 MW) in 2006, Tegeta Gas Engine (45 MW) in 2009, Ubungo I (102 MW) in 2008, Ubungo II (129 MW) in 2012, Ubungo III (92.5 MW) in 2012, Kinyerezi I (335 MW) in 2023, and Kinyerezi II (248.2 MW) in 2018.
The efforts have not stopped there. Ongoing projects include the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP), which now generates over 1,000 MW, and the Rusumo project, contributing 26.667 MW to Tanzania.
In addition to generating sufficient electricity, the government, through the Ministry of Energy, continues to strengthen the national grid system to ensure coverage across the entire country, thereby enhancing electricity availability nationwide.