- VP says Malangali project will position Rukwa as a regional power trade hub
RUKWA: TANZANIA’S ambition to become a major electricity exporter in East and Southern Africa is gaining momentum, with investments in power generation and transmission infrastructure creating opportunities to supply neighbouring countries and stimulate domestic industrial growth.
The Malangali power substation in Rukwa Region is expected to play a strategic role in this drive by improving electricity supply and strengthening transmission links with Zambia, one of Tanzania’s key potential export markets.
The project comes as the country shifts from addressing electricity shortages towards maximising the economic benefits of its expanding generation capacity through industrialisation and regional power trade.
The 2,115-megawatt (MW) Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP), inaugurated by President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan on August 22, this year, has significantly expanded Tanzania’s electricity generation capacity The country’s installed generation capacity had reached 4,646MW, against peak demand of about 2,271MW, representing a theoretical surplus of approximately 2,375MW.
However, converting this capacity into export earnings will require adequate transmission infrastructure, reliable cross-border connections and sufficient electricity to meet growing domestic demand.
Under Dira 2050, Tanzania aims to increase per capita electricity consumption from approximately 170 kilowatt-hours (kWh) to at least 3,000kWh by 2050.
Achieving this target will require sustained investment in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure, alongside efforts to expand access to reliable and affordable electricity.
The completion of the JNHPP has strengthened the national grid, while plans to reduce transmission losses from approximately 16 per cent to below 10 per cent are expected to improve efficiency and reliability.
Despite this progress, Tanzania continues to face energy challenges, including limited access to electricity in some rural areas, dependence on firewood and charcoal for cooking, and losses associated with inadequate infrastructure.
Limited investment in some renewable energy projects, regulatory complexities and difficulties accessing affordable financing also pose challenges to the development of a reliable and sustainable energy system.
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The government is pursuing a broader energy strategy that includes hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal and nuclear energy to strengthen supply and support long-term economic growth.
Speaking yesterday during an inspection of the Malangali project, Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi said Rukwa Region required about 30MW of electricity but was receiving only 16MW, a shortfall that had constrained agricultural processing and mineral-related activities.
He said the government was investing in the substation to improve electricity supply and position the region as a strategic hub for power trade between East and Southern Africa.
“Today, TANESCO (Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited) buys electricity from Zambia, but through this line, we will begin selling large and reliable volumes of electricity to Zambia,” he said.
The proposed Tanzania–Zambia interconnection is particularly significant because it is intended to link the Eastern Africa Power Pool with the Southern African Power Pool, potentially expanding Tanzania’s access to regional electricity markets.
The connection could open opportunities to supply electricity beyond immediate neighbours. However, the scale of exports will depend on available transmission capacity, commercial agreements and the amount of electricity that can be supplied after meeting domestic demand.
Constructed by China’s TBEA at a cost of 161.9bn/-, the Malangali substation will receive electricity at 400 kilovolts (kV) before stepping it down to 220kV, 66kV and 33kV for transmission and distribution.
The facility will have four transformers and eight outgoing power lines serving different areas of Rukwa Region.
TANESCO Director-General Lazaro Twange said the project would help address electricity shortages, stimulate industrial development, increase the value of agricultural produce and create employment opportunities.
Deputy Minister for Energy Salome Makamba said Tanzanians accounted for 90 per cent of the project’s workforce. She added that equipment testing was expected to begin in mid-November 2026.
Tanzania’s electricity-sale arrangements with neighbouring countries provide a foundation for expanding regional power trade.
Increased exports could generate foreign exchange, strengthen regional energy cooperation and create additional markets for domestic power producers.
The economic benefits, however, wil depend on the volumes of electricity delivered, contractual prices and the costs of transmitting power across borders.
Beyond exports, improved electricity supply could transform economic activities in Rukwa by supporting irrigation, milling, cold storage, mineral processing and manufacturing.
Reliable power would enable businesses to expand production, minimise interruptions and add value to agricultural and mineral products before they reach the market, helping create jobs and increase incomes.
Vice-President Ndejembi urged investors to seize emerging opportunities in the region and called on residents to protect electricity infrastructure.
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