By the Respondents Reporter
Tanzania’s electricity utility TANESCO has built a temporary overhead power line to ease electricity supply disruptions affecting Mbagala, Kigamboni, Mkuranga and Kibiti following a fault on an underground 132-kilovolt transmission cable in Gongolamboto.
The alternative line crosses the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) infrastructure and is designed to bypass the damaged section while repair work continues, allowing electricity to reach affected customers.
TANESCO Managing Director Lazaro Twange inspected the repair works on Saturday and commended engineers for quickly developing and implementing the temporary solution.
He said the utility was taking technical measures to maintain electricity supply as it worked to repair the damaged infrastructure.
“We are encouraged to see that our engineers have managed to construct an alternative overhead line crossing the SGR area to ensure electricity continues to reach our customers while repairs to the underground line are ongoing,” Twange said.
He apologised to affected customers and assured them that TANESCO was doing everything possible to restore normal services.
The utility said its engineers were continuing with the connection and completion of the temporary system, with the work being carried out under strict safety procedures.
The fault was first reported on November 3 along the 132kV transmission line linking Gongolamboto substation to Mbagala and Dege substations in Kigamboni.
It disrupted electricity supply in parts of Mbagala, Kigamboni, Mkuranga and Kibiti because the existing alternative route lacked sufficient capacity to meet the affected areas’ combined electricity demand.
TANESCO said repair work on the damaged infrastructure was continuing, with the aim of restoring normal supply and improving service reliability.