Hale power station rehabilitation hits 40 pc completion

DODOMA: Hale Hydropower Station in Tanga is undergoing a significant transformation, with its rehabilitation now reaches more than 40 per cent complete.

In partnership with Sweden, the Tanzanian government is working tirelessly to restore the plant’s full power generation capacity of 21 megawatts, promising a brighter, more reliable energy future for the region.

Constructed in 1964, the plant’s capacity had dropped to only 4 megawatts.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Engineer Felchesmi Mramba said on Thursday that the rehabilitation was expected to boost its output and stabilise power transmission in Tanga and other northern regions.

Eng Mramba was speaking during a meeting with Sweden’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Charlotta Ozaki-Macias, to mark the completion of the 220kV Makambako-Njombe-Madaba-Songea power transmission project, funded by the Nordic country.

He said that the approximately 50bn/- Hale rehabilitation project, which is expected to be fully completed by August 2026, is being funded by Sweden (60 per cent) and the Tanzania government (40 per cent).

The Hale Hydroelectric Power Plant utilises a natural fall of 70 metres, located about 40 river miles from the Indian Ocean.

It is situated at Hale Township along the Segera–Tanga highway, 6km from the Tanga–Moshi junction at Segera.

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The plant’s hydro works include a storage weir across the Pangani River, located 4km upstream of a diversion intake weir.

The intake works, integrated with the intake weir, lead water through a vertical drop shaft to a head-race tunnel.

This tunnel channels the water through a surge shaft and a high-pressure shaft and tunnel to the turbines in an underground power station, 76 metres below ground level.

The water is then returned to the river through a tailrace tunnel and an open channel.

Regarding the recently completed 169.59bn/- Makambako-Madaba-Songea project, the PS said that over 100,000 households in 120 villages have benefited from the project.

The project was launched in 2017 by the late President Dr John Magufuli.

“Sweden has been one of our main partners in various sectors, including water, education and energy. Numerous energy projects have been implemented in the country through loans and grants from Sweden. We truly appreciate their support,” said Eng Mramba.

For her part, Swedish Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Charlotta Ozaki-Macias, said electricity is cornerstone in driving both social and economic development.

“Electricity is a fundamental necessity for developing any society and we trust that this new transmission line will provide access to electricity for more people,” she said.