Egypt to Strengthen Ties with Tanzania

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Tanzania is in the bottom 10% of the world's economies in terms of per capita income. The country's power generation system encompasses the use of hydro, thermal and gas power. Hydropower contributes the most to Tanzania's electrical power generation. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's aging economic infrastructure and to alleviate poverty.

Tanzania's interconnected grid system has an installed capacity of 773 megawatts (MW), of which 71% is hydropower. The largest hydropower complexes are the Mtera and Kidatu dams on the Great Ruaha River.

The installed thermal power facilities are the Tegeta power station, which is privately owned and has a capacity of 100 MW; and the Ubungo power station, owned by TANESCO, which has a capacity of 112 MW; and about 30 MW of thermal generation in isolated areas that are not connected to the grid. The output from generation plants is transmitted and distributed to mainland Tanzania with the following transmission lines: 2,986 kilometers of 220-kilovolt (kV) transmission line; 1,971 kilometers of 132-kV lines; and 554 kilometers of 66-kV lines.

Other future projects have been set up, such as:

• Zambia-Tanzania 200-MW interconnection, which is expected to be completed by 2010
• Ruhudji hydropower 35.8-MW project, which is expected to be completed by 2012
• Mchuchuma 200-MW coal-fired plant, which is expected to be completed by 2018
• Mchuchuma 200-MW coal-fired plant, which is expected to be completed by 2023
• Rumakali 222-MW hydropower project, which is expected to be completed by 2024

Tanzania is involved in various interconnection projects that help to increase development in the electrical power sector of the country. The most important of the three major interconnections is the Nile Basin Regional Power Trade Project. This proposed project has been developed under the Shared Vision Program of the Nile Basin Initiative. The project aims to implement the institutional means to coordinate the development of regional power markets among the Nile Basin countries, build capacity, and provide technical infrastructure to manage Nile Basin resources in development.

This week, Egyptian minister of electricity Dr. Hassan Yunis announced that Egypt will strengthen the relationship with Tanzania as a Nile Basin country in terms of power generation. Yunis said that Egypt will invest about $200 million in public and private projects. Yunis urged the private sector to play a role in this investment as these projects will be reinforce electricity generation, transmission and distribution, by which increase percentage of grid access and help in increase investment opportunities through this country market.

The organization responsible for electricity generation, transmission and distribution in Tanzania is the Tanzania Electric Supply Company, known as TANESCO. The company is wholly government-owned and is responsible for 98% of the country's electricity supply.

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