By the Respondents reporter
RUFiji, Tanzania — President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Saturday, August 22, 2026, officially inaugurated Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP), a landmark energy project designed to strengthen the country’s electricity supply and support long-term economic growth.
Located in Rufiji District, Pwani Region, the project has an installed generation capacity of 2,115 megawatts, produced through nine generating units, each with a capacity of 235MW.
The project cost about Tsh7.452 trillion and was financed entirely through domestic government funding. Construction began in June 2019 and was completed in March 2025.
The inauguration marks a major milestone in Tanzania’s efforts to expand electricity generation, improve power reliability and create a stronger energy base for investment and industrial development.
According to the Ministry of Energy, by May 31, 2026, JNHPP was contributing about half of the electricity generated and fed into Tanzania’s national grid, underlining its growing importance to the country's power system.
The project is also expected to strengthen energy security and reduce the risk of power shortages that previously contributed to electricity rationing.
Beyond its generation capacity, one of the notable features of JNHPP is that the facility is now operated entirely by Tanzanian professionals, according to information provided by the project.
The inauguration comes as Tanzania pursues the goals of Vision 2050, which places reliable energy supply among the foundations for increased production, investment, employment and economic competitiveness.
