Tanzania is seeking private investment and advanced technology to help raise its electricity generation capacity to 8,000 megawatts by 2030, with Chinese infrastructure giant PowerChina expressing interest in projects spanning generation, transmission, distribution and energy storage.
Deputy Minister for Energy Salome Makamba said the target presented significant investment opportunities for companies with the financial strength, technology and expertise to participate in Tanzania’s expanding energy market.
She made the remarks yesterday in Dodoma during a meeting with a PowerChina delegation led by the company’s Vice President for East and Southern Africa, Yu Haian.
The talks focused on investment opportunities and potential areas of cooperation between PowerChina and the Government in the energy sector.
Ms Makamba said Tanzania planned to achieve the 8,000MW target by developing a diversified electricity generation mix based on hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal energy.
She said diversification would strengthen energy security, improve the reliability of electricity supplies and support economic activities that depend on stable power.
“The Government is welcoming investors with financial, technological and technical capacity to partner with us in achieving this target,” she said.
Ms Makamba also stressed the importance of greater private-sector participation in expanding generation capacity and upgrading the infrastructure needed to transmit and distribute electricity.
The Government's push for investment comes as Tanzania seeks to harness its substantial renewable energy potential while expanding electricity access and ensuring adequate power supplies to support industrial and economic growth.
For PowerChina, Tanzania’s energy ambitions present opportunities beyond power generation.
Mr Yu said the company was interested in investment opportunities across the electricity value chain, including generation, transmission, distribution and energy storage.
He said the company had reviewed Tanzania’s energy plans and identified areas where it could work with the Government to develop major projects.
“Tanzania has significant water, solar, wind and geothermal resources that can be harnessed to increase electricity generation and strengthen energy security,” he said.
PowerChina is prepared to participate in renewable energy projects, including solar, wind and geothermal developments, as well as modern systems for storing electricity, Mr Yu said.
He identified battery energy storage and pumped-storage technology as potential areas of cooperation, saying they could help improve the stability and reliability of the national grid.
Pumped-storage systems can store electricity when demand is low and release it when demand rises, providing flexibility to the power system and supporting the integration of variable renewable sources such as solar and wind.
Mr Yu said PowerChina's experience in implementing large-scale energy projects internationally positioned the company to support Tanzania's plans.
The company has experience in hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal projects, transmission infrastructure and energy storage technologies.
The planned expansion is expected to open opportunities for investors across Tanzania's energy value chain, particularly as demand for reliable electricity rises alongside industrialisation.
Greater generation capacity is also expected to support sectors such as manufacturing, mining, agro-processing, mineral value addition and other energy-intensive industries.
For Tanzania, the engagement with PowerChina could provide an opportunity to combine private capital, international expertise and modern technology in accelerating investment in the power sector.
The discussions also come at a time when the Government is seeking to position reliable electricity supply as a foundation for industrial development and broader economic transformation.
With the 2030 generation target requiring substantial investment, partnerships with experienced international companies are likely to remain an important part of Tanzania's strategy to expand and modernise its electricity infrastructure.