The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) has introduced a new digital home energy management system that will allow customers to monitor and control electricity consumption remotely using their mobile phones, a move aimed at helping households reduce power costs and improve energy efficiency.
The innovation, known as the Smart House system, was unveiled by TANESCO Managing Director Lazaro Twange during a briefing to Zanzibar President Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi at the utility's pavilion during the 50th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (Sabasaba).
Twange said the system enables customers to track how much electricity individual household appliances consume and switch them on or off remotely from anywhere in the world.
"Whether you are in Mwanza, Dubai or anywhere else while your home is in Kigoma, you can turn off appliances through your mobile phone and avoid unnecessary electricity consumption," he said.
The technology is expected to help households better understand their electricity usage and identify appliances that consume excessive power, addressing a common concern among customers over rapidly declining prepaid electricity units.
Twange said the system was developed after TANESCO received complaints from customers who believed they were consuming little electricity despite exhausting their prepaid units quickly. Others questioned whether their electricity meters accurately reflected actual consumption.
With the Smart House system, customers will be able to monitor electricity use in real time, making it easier to identify energy-intensive appliances and manage household consumption more efficiently.
The technology is expected to be officially launched soon before being rolled out nationwide.
Twange said the innovation reflects TANESCO's efforts to improve customer services through locally developed technology and encouraged customers to continue providing feedback to help the utility develop practical solutions to emerging challenges.
The managing director also briefed President Mwinyi on TANESCO's progress in implementing the National Clean Cooking Energy Strategy, highlighting the utility's Bill Financing programme, which enables households to acquire electric cookers through affordable instalment payments collected alongside electricity purchases.
According to Twange, the programme has recorded a success rate of more than 90 percent, supported by partnerships with private sector suppliers to expand access to energy-efficient electric cooking appliances across the country.
He said modern electric cookers have been designed to consume less power, making electric cooking an increasingly affordable option for many households while supporting the country's transition to cleaner sources of energy.
Twange also updated the President on plans to strengthen electricity supply to Zanzibar through the construction of new undersea transmission lines linking Dar es Salaam to Unguja, Tanga to Pemba, and Dar es Salaam to Mafia Island.
He said the consulting engineer for the project is expected to be appointed in August, with contractor procurement scheduled for January. Construction is projected to take between 20 and 22 months.
Once completed, the new transmission links are expected to increase electricity supply capacity to Zanzibar, supporting growing demand from households, businesses and expanding economic activities.
