By our reporter
A Tanzanian parliamentary committee has praised the performance of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant, saying the flagship facility now contributes around 45% of the electricity supplied to the national grid and has significantly strengthened the country's energy security.
Members of Parliament's Standing Committee on Energy and Minerals visited the plant on Sunday and said they were satisfied with its operational performance and its growing role in supporting Tanzania's economic development.
Committee chairperson Subira Mgalu described the project as a historic achievement and commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for overseeing its completion and commissioning.
"The plant has made a substantial contribution to electricity generation in the country and has become an important driver of social and economic development," Mgalu said.
She added that lawmakers had witnessed first-hand the scale of investment and the benefits the project was bringing to the country's energy sector.
The committee, however, stressed the need to accelerate the completion of electricity transmission projects to ensure the additional generation capacity reaches consumers across the country.
Particular emphasis was placed on the Chalinze-Zuzu transmission line, which is expected to improve electricity supply to Tanzania's Lake Zone, a region known for intensive mining activities and growing industrial demand.
"Major work has been done at this plant. We now advise that transmission projects be completed on schedule so that citizens can continue to benefit from reliable electricity services," Mgalu said.
Christopher Bitesigirwe, Assistant Commissioner for Electricity at the Ministry of Energy, speaking on behalf of the ministry's permanent secretary, said the government and the state utility, TANESCO, would continue ensuring the plant's nine generating units operate efficiently while also prioritising transmission infrastructure.
"The committee has seen that all nine turbines are functioning efficiently without any technical problems. We will work on all the recommendations, especially the completion of transmission projects," he said.
TANESCO Deputy Managing Director for Generation, Antony Mbushi, said the utility would continue closely monitoring the plant and carrying out timely maintenance to ensure uninterrupted operations.
"The Julius Nyerere plant is performing well and TANESCO will continue ensuring that the electricity generated is transmitted and distributed efficiently to consumers," Mbushi said.
The Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant, completed in 2025, has an installed capacity of 2,115 megawatts, making it one of Africa's largest hydropower facilities and the second-largest on the continent by installed generation capacity, according to Tanzanian authorities.
The project has significantly increased Tanzania's electricity generation capacity and forms a key pillar of the country's efforts to expand access to reliable power, support industrialisation and reduce dependence on more expensive and less predictable energy sources.
