The Managing Director of TANESCO, Lazaro Twange, has sharply criticised the slow pace of works at the Hale Hydropower Station rehabilitation project in Tanga Region, warning the contractor against further delays on a project considered vital for improving electricity reliability in northeastern Tanzania.
During an inspection tour of the Hale power station and the Pangani River dam desilting project in Korogwe District on Thursday, Twange said he was dissatisfied with the contractor’s performance after the project, launched in 2022, failed to meet agreed timelines.
The TANESCO chief noted that the contractor had already been granted two extensions and was reportedly preparing to seek a third.
“I am not satisfied with the progress of this project. The contractor has already requested an extension twice and I have now received information that another extension request is being prepared. That is why I came here personally to understand the situation,” Twange said.
He directed the contractor, project consultants and supervising engineers to immediately step up implementation efforts by deploying additional workers and extending working hours to ensure the project is completed by the end of July.
According to Twange, the rehabilitation project is being implemented in seven phases, with only two sections completed so far while work on the remaining components continues.
“I have instructed all parties involved to sit together and ensure this project is completed within the agreed timeframe. TANESCO cannot continue tolerating unnecessary delays on critical infrastructure projects,” he said.
The Hale Hydropower Station is among key electricity generation facilities supporting power supply in several districts of Tanga Region and neighbouring areas.
Once completed, the upgrade is expected to improve electricity stability and operational efficiency for consumers in Korogwe, Handeni and Muheza districts.
Twange also inspected the ongoing Pangani River dam desilting works, saying the exercise was crucial in protecting the hydropower infrastructure and sustaining electricity generation capacity, particularly ahead of the next rainy season.
“Our target is to complete the desilting works within one year and before the coming rainy season to avoid operational challenges,” he said.
He further revealed that TANESCO is currently implementing electricity development projects worth more than Tzs13.4 trillion across the country as part of wider efforts to strengthen power generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure.
Hale Project Manager, Engineer Kulwa Byemelo, assured the TANESCO management that directives issued during the visit would be implemented immediately to accelerate the remaining works.
“Once completed, the project will significantly improve electricity reliability in areas supplied by the Hale station, including Handeni, Muheza and Korogwe,” said Byemelo.
The visit forms part of TANESCO’s nationwide monitoring programme aimed at assessing the progress of strategic energy projects, identifying implementation bottlenecks and ensuring timely delivery of projects intended to support reliable electricity access for Tanzanians.
