The government has announced plans to construct a major dam in Lumakali area in Njombe District. Deputy Minister for Energy, Subira Mgalu announced the reports and said that currently feasibility study which was conducted in 1998 are being reviewed.
The project involves construction of 388.2m/ high dam and power center which will produce 222MW of electricity from Lumakali to Mbeya. The Minister said that implementation of the project is expected to begin in January 2021 and is expected to be completed in June 2023.
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Tanzania’s energy sector
The Makete Lawmaker expressed his dismay over delays in the implementation of the project, insisting that Makete residents have been waiting for 11 years, contrary to the government’s pledge in 2015/2016 that the implementation could have started in 2017.
The continued development of Tanzania’s energy sector is critical to the country’s ability to grow economically, attract FDI and expand its commercial ties regionally and globally. Tanzania has an installed generation capacity of 1,513 MW, or 0.033 kW per capita. Electricity demand in the country is increasing rapidly mainly due to foreign investments and an increasing population.
Additionally, the government is also encouraging investments to increase available generation, further expand electricity access, reform the distribution system, and develop new indigenous sources of energy. The Public Private Partnership (PPP) Act of 2010 and the Private Partnership Regulations passed in 2011 were enacted to support private sector investment under PPPs.
The government’s long term vision aims at increasing connectivity from 30% to 50% by 2025; increasing power generation capacity to at least 5,000 MW by 2020; diversify energy sources for power generation; reduce system losses; and promote regional grid inter connectivity.
