The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) has announced that construction of the 400-kilovolt power transmission line from Chalinze to Dodoma has reached 82.5 percent, with the government directing the project to be completed by August 18 this year.
Speaking during an inspection tour of the project at the Zuzu power substation in Dodoma, TANESCO Managing Director Lazaro Twange said the project is part of the broader national electricity transmission network designed to distribute power generated from the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project to different parts of the country.
Twange said major expansion works are underway at the Zuzu substation to increase its capacity to receive electricity transmitted from Chalinze to Dodoma as demand for power continues to rise across the country.
He noted that increasing population growth, expanding investments, and growing demand from public institutions such as schools, hospitals, and government offices have made it necessary for TANESCO to strengthen electricity infrastructure to ensure reliable power supply.
“Electricity demand continues to rise due to population growth, increasing investments, and the growing needs of government institutions, schools, hospitals, and other sectors. Therefore, we must continue improving our infrastructure to ensure reliable power supply,” said Twange.
He added that due to the strategic importance of the project, the government signed an additional contract with the contractor to accelerate implementation and ensure completion ahead of the initial schedule.
According to Twange, inspections conducted from Dumila to Dodoma confirmed that adequate materials are already available at construction sites, while additional experts have been deployed to speed up the works.
“We are confident that by August 18 this year, the Chalinze-Dodoma transmission line project, together with the expansion and upgrading of the Chalinze and Dodoma substations, will be completed,” he said.
Twange said the project is being implemented by TBEA at a cost of more than Sh514 billion.
He said once completed, the strategic project will significantly improve the country’s electricity transmission capacity and strengthen reliable power supply for Dodoma and other parts of Tanzania.
Meanwhile, Project Manager Newton Livingstone said the 345-kilometre transmission line project is fully funded by the Government of Tanzania.
He said construction work on both the transmission line and the expansion of substations in Chalinze and Dodoma is progressing steadily and safely.
“The work is progressing safely, and our target is to complete the project by August as planned,” he said.
