Tanesco has turned to artificial intelligence and other digital tools to speed up electricity services, with the state-run utility introducing new platforms that will allow customers to seek assistance without physically visiting its offices or making repeated calls.
The new services include an AI-powered chatbot, a digital portal for large electricity users and a dedicated toll-free line, in a move that could change how customers report problems and access services from the utility.
Energy Minister Dkt. Juma Zuberi Homera launched the systems in Dar es Salaam yesterday, saying the initiative was part of efforts to ensure technological innovation translates into faster and more responsive public services.
At the centre of the new system is Twiga Assistant, an artificial intelligence-based service designed to operate around the clock, allowing customers to seek assistance without having to call Tanesco.
The utility has also launched the Twiga Premium Customer Portal, which is designed to give large electricity consumers access to services through a digital platform.
For premium customers, Tanesco has introduced 185, a dedicated toll-free number intended to provide direct and priority assistance.
A Premium Customer Service Section has also been established to handle the needs of large electricity users.
The changes come at a time when demand for electricity is rising, putting greater pressure on Tanesco not only to expand supply but also to improve the way it serves an expanding customer base.
Dkt. Homera said electricity generation capacity had increased to 4,606 megawatts, up 21.32 percent, while peak demand had reached 2,316MW, representing a 12.97 percent increase from 2025.
The figures point to a growing electricity market as more households, businesses and industries connect to the grid and existing customers increase their consumption.
Dkt. Homera said Tanesco therefore needed to match investment in electricity supply with improvements in customer service.
He commended the utility for developing the new systems using local expertise, saying the initiative was in line with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s push for public institutions to use technology and innovation to improve services.
But the minister warned that the new platforms should not become another layer of technology that exists without delivering practical benefits to customers.
He directed Tanesco to ensure the revised Customer Service Charter was implemented at all levels and that its commitments became part of the daily responsibilities of employees.
He also ordered the utility to ensure the new systems remain operational and effective, while providing adequate public education so customers understand how to use them.
“Every complaint from a customer should be treated as an opportunity to improve service delivery,” Dkt. Homera said, urging Tanesco to use customer feedback and data when making decisions.
The minister further stressed the need for the utility to protect customer information and digital platforms in line with data protection laws and information security standards.
The digital push is being implemented alongside the government’s wider plan to increase electricity generation capacity.
Dkt. Homera reiterated the government’s target of reaching 8,000MW of generation capacity by 2030, saying the target was achievable through ongoing projects and the availability of skilled professionals within the energy sector.
One of the projects contributing to the expansion is the Kishapu Solar Power Project, whose second phase will add 100MW.
The government has increasingly linked expansion of electricity supply with economic transformation under the National Development Vision 2050, which identifies reliable energy as a key driver of industrialisation and economic growth.
For customers, however, the test of the new digital platforms will be whether they reduce the time and effort required to get help from Tanesco.
Energy Ministry Permanent Secretary responsible for Oil and Natural Gas, Dkt. James Mataragio, said the launch of the Twiga AI Chatbot, Twiga Premium Customer Portal, Premium Customers Toll-Free Line and Premium Customer Service Section, together with the revised Customer Service Charter, reflected the government’s broader effort to combine improved electricity availability with better service delivery.
He said technology and innovation would remain central to efforts to make electricity services more accessible and responsive to customers.