Tanzania’s Kishapu Solar Power Project in the Shinyanga Region is nearing completion and is expected to inject 50 megawatts (MW) into the national electricity grid, thereby strengthening power supply in Shinyanga and neighboring regions.
Speaking on January 9, 2026, during an inspection tour of key power infrastructure projects in the region, Deputy Minister for Energy Salome Makamba said on Thursday that the solar project had marked a significant milestone in the government’s drive to expand electricity generation capacity and support economic growth.
“The Kishapu Solar Power Project has now surpassed 89 percent implementation, and we expect 50 megawatts to be connected to the national grid by the end of this month,” Makamba said. “This is part of the government’s continued efforts to ensure Tanzania has sufficient and reliable electricity to support economic opportunities and sustainable development.”
The deputy minister was inspecting several strategic projects, including the Kishapu Solar Power Plant, the Ibadakuli Power Substation Expansion Project, and the construction of a 220-kilovolt transmission line linking Ibadakuli to Simiyu Region.
Makamba also commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her substantial investments in the energy sector, noting that improved power infrastructure is crucial for industrial growth, regional integration, and social development.
At the Ibadakuli substation, where expansion works have reached 44.32 percent completion, Makamba said the project would play a crucial role in supplying electricity to Tanzania’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and facilitating cross-border power transmission to Kenya and Uganda.
“We thank and commend the President for allocating funds for the expansion of the Ibadakuli substation,” she said. “This facility will support the strategically important SGR project while also enabling power exports to neighbouring countries.”
Meanwhile, TANESCO Acting Director of Projects, Engineer Frank Mashalo, said construction of the 220kV Ibadakuli–Simiyu transmission line had reached 53 percent completion and is expected to be finalised by June this year, significantly improving electricity supply reliability in Simiyu and surrounding regions.
Kishapu District Commissioner Peter Masindi said completion of the solar project would stimulate local economic activity, particularly in cotton farming, the area’s main economic activity, which depends heavily on reliable electricity for processing and value addition.
The Kishapu Solar Power Project is being implemented at a total cost of TZS 323 billion across two phases. The project officially commenced in December 2023, with full completion expected by January 2026, reinforcing Tanzania’s push toward renewable energy and energy security.