The introduction of grid electricity in Kigoma has saved Tanzania about TZS 58 billion annually, previously spent on fuel and maintenance of power generators, Deputy Minister of Energy, Salome Makamba, has said.
Hon. Salome made the remarks on March 6, 2026, during a visit to the Kidahwe main power substation under construction, along with the Kigoma Town substation and the temporary Kidahwe substation.
She praised TANESCO for extending electricity from Nyakanazi to Kigoma and for using TZS 5 billion of its own funds to complete the temporary Kidahwe substation.
“This substation is currently supplying power to Kigoma while the main Kidahwe substation is being built,” she said.
The new Kidahwe substation will have a capacity of 192 megawatts, a major boost for Kigoma, which currently receives only about 30 megawatts. It is expected to be completed by November this year.
Hon. Salome said the project will also strengthen electricity supply in western regions, support the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), and promote electricity trade with neighboring countries.
She invited local and foreign investors to invest in Kigoma, emphasizing that reliable electricity opens doors for business and economic growth.
She also urged citizens to protect electricity infrastructure, saying President Hon. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan continues to invest heavily in national energy projects.
Engineer Ramadhan Uwessu, Project Coordinator for the 400 kV transmission line from Nyakanazi to Kigoma, said the new Kidahwe substation will connect to Nyakanazi, Tabora (132 kV), Sumbawanga (400 kV), and the Malagarasi power project.
The project has reached 47 percent completion and costs about TZS 434 billion, funded by the Government of Tanzania, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Korea Exim Bank’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF).
