Julius Nyerere Power Plant roars into Action in 2024 but will it deliver?

The Massive Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant dam, soon to start energy production, has a total of nine turbines, each with 235 megawatts of power.

With power shedding still irking the country, Tanzania hopes to end power shortages by Mid-2024

The first turbine at the 2,115 Megawatts Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant Project (JNHPP) was set to be switched on in January 2024 bringing Tanzania closer to realising the country’s dream of ending erratic power supply and becoming an electricity exporter.

Now as it happens, the second turbine is also expected to go into operation this year, coming to life in April 2024.

If the giant power plant delivers as envisaged, it will have the potential of becoming a real transformer in the Tanzania’s economy by single-handedly fixing the country’s recurring energy shortages with ample and relatively cheaper electricity.

Julius Nyerere Hydro-Power Plant has a total of nine turbines, each with the capacity to generate 235 Megawatts of power.

The first turbine is supposed to be generating electricity, at least on trials from January 2024.

On the other hand the second turbine, should be coming to life sometimes in April 2024.

At least, this is what President Samia Suluhu Hassan had told the country’s electricity-starved manufacturers during a meeting in 2023.

It means the new Hydro-Power plant could supply a total of 470 megawatts of electricity to the national grid in a period of the first five months of the year 2024.

Once set roaring, the the two turbines at Nyerere will potentially bring to an end to the long-existed problem of unreliable energy situation in the country.

Tanzania currently has installed power capacity of 𝟭,𝟵𝟬𝟬 𝗺𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘁𝘁𝘀, while peak demand stands at 𝟭,𝟰𝟬𝟬 𝗺𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘁𝘁𝘀.

The 𝟮,𝟭𝟭𝟱-𝗺𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘁𝘁 hydropower project at Rufiji is expected to more than double the country’s installed capacity.

Experts believe the Nyerere Project will also produce excess electricity for export when all the nine turbines get switched on.

President Samia had previously assured manufacturers that the country’s historic power shortages will be relegated to history in 2024.

It seems the Head of State is banking heavily on the JNHPP and other energy projects currently under development, including natural gas-fired plants and solar power.

The government signed a contract with Egypt’s Arab Contractors and El-Sewedy Electric in 2018 to build the country’s biggest power plant at a cost of close to USD 3 billion.

Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Doto Biteko reported that by the end of 2023 the construction of the mega hydro-electric power project had reached 92 percent.

The JNHPP project, which is located within the Nyerere National Park, a UNESCO-protected property had been on the drawing boards for more than 40 years since early 80s.

The project had failed to take off in the past due to a lack of financial resources topped with environmental concerns.

Former President John Magufuli who came into office in late 2015, eventually pushed through the project.

President Samia expedited construction work at Julius Nyerere Hydro-Power Plant after coming to power in March 2021.