https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Tanzania says power link to Kenya, Zambia to be completed next year

6th October 2014

By: Reuters

  

Font size: - +

Tanzania will complete a $455-million power transmission line next year linking its power grid to Kenya and Zambia, part of plans to export electricity powered by its gas and coal reserves to neighbours, the Energy and Minerals Ministry said on Monday.

Tanzania, which has found commercial quantities of gas offshore and sits on big coal deposits, aims to double its generation capacity to 3 000 MW by 2016 to meet rising domestic demand and supply the region.

Power shortages are common across Africa and businesses often complain that poor or erratic supplies deter more investors and push up prices of local products, as many firms have to rely on costly generators when power is cut.

Known as the "backbone interconnector", Tanzania's Energy Ministry said the $455-million link would be in place by April, one of several regional projects that include links running between Kenya and Ethiopia and between Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

"The backbone project will link with Kenya's northern power grid and Zambia's southwestern power grid and transform Tanzania into a regional hub for the east and southern Africa power pool,” the ministry said in a statement.

The 667 km high-voltage line is being built with financing from the European Investment Bank, World Bank, African Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency and Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund.

Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia signed a deal in Dar es Salaam on September 30 to link the three countries. Tanzania's Energy Ministry said last year it was in talks with Kenya to export 1 000 MW of electricity to east Africa's biggest economy.

Tanzania has 46.5-trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves and is investing in a pipeline and new gas-fired power plants to boost generation. It also aims to export gas with a planned build liquefied natural gas plant.

It also has 5-billion tonnes of coal reserves and plans to build coal-fired power plants.

Edited by Reuters

Comments

Showroom

Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Immersive Technologies
Immersive Technologies

Immersive Technologies is the world's largest, proven and tested supplier of simulator training solutions to the global resources industry.

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.082 0.132s - 175pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now