Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam becomes backbone of national grid, supplies half of Tanzania’s electricity

Dar es Salaam. The Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP) has become a pillar of Tanzania’s national electricity grid, contributing nearly half of all power fed into the grid this year, according to the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco).

The project, built at a cost of Sh7.45 trillion, is being implemented by Egyptian companies Arab Contractors and Elsewedy Electric.

Speaking at the project’s inauguration on Saturday, August 22, 2026, Tanesco director-general, Mr Lazaro Twange, said JNHPP had demonstrated its importance to the country’s electricity supply since it began generation in February 2024.

He said the plant contributed 43.5 percent of all electricity fed into the national grid in 2025, with its contribution rising to about half this year.

“These figures clearly show that the Julius Nyerere plant has already become a major pillar of energy and has significantly improved the availability of electricity in our country,” said Mr Twange.

The project was financed by the government through domestic revenue, with more than Sh7.11 trillion paid to the contractor so far.

Mr Twange said the project was designed to increase generation capacity, strengthen the national grid and position Tanzania as a potential electricity trading hub for Eastern and Southern Africa.

JNHPP has nine generating units, each capable of producing 235 megawatts, giving the plant a total installed capacity of 2,115MW when operating at full capacity.

The project also includes a reservoir with a storage capacity of 32.78 billion cubic metres of water.

The Kilombero River contributes about 65 percent of the water entering the reservoir, with other rivers supplying the remainder.

The powerhouse, which houses nine generating units and 27 transformers, measures 307.34 metres long, more than 57 metres wide and 85.8 metres deep.

Electricity generated at the plant is transmitted through a 400-kilovolt line from JNHPP to Chalinze after passing through the switchyard.

Tanzanians take charge

Beyond electricity generation, Mr Twange said the project had helped build technical skills among Tanzanians, with more than 95 percent of the workforce involved in construction being Tanzanian.

He said the experience gained from working on the mega-project had equipped local workers with skills that could make them competitive in domestic and international job markets.

“By working on such a major project, they have gained sufficient skills and can now compete strongly in the job market both here and abroad,” he said.

The plant currently employs 161 Tanzanians involved in operations, maintenance and management of its infrastructure.

Mr Twange said despite the use of advanced technology, JNHPP was now being operated and maintained by Tanzanians themselves.