KIGOMA: The government’s move to connect Kigoma Region to the national electricity grid has resulted in annual savings of 58.4bn/-, previously spent on diesel-powered electricity generation.
This was revealed by TANESCO Managing Director Engineer Gissima Nyamo-Hanga during a visit to the Kidahwe power substation in Kigoma.
The Kidahwe substation, with a capacity of 400/220/132/33Kv, is part of TANESCO’s strategic projects aimed at improving electricity supply across the country.
Engineer Gissima, accompanied by other TANESCO officials, inspected the facility to assess its operations following its integration into the national grid.
Highlighting the benefits of the connection, Eng Gissima said electricity services in Kigoma have significantly improved, providing residents with a stable power supply that supports the expansion of economic activities.
“In addition to the Kidahwe Substation, we are working on a larger facility with a capacity of 240 MVA at Kidahwe to meet the growing economic demands of the region. The new project is expected to be completed by November 2026,” he stated.
He also noted that the government, through the Ministry of Energy and TANESCO, has constructed a 400-kilovolt transmission line spanning 280 kilometers from Nyakanazi to Kigoma.
He added that the infrastructure has successfully connected Kigoma Region to the national grid.
Furthermore, Eng Gissima outlined that electricity consumption in Kigoma is expected to rise from the current 17.5 MW to 22 MW, while the Kidahwe Substation has a capacity of 54 MW, sufficient to meet future demands.
Additionally, he revealed that TANESCO is implementing a project to provide electricity to 18 villages near the Kidahwe Substation.
He said the initiative will connect about 5,000 new customers to the grid, further increasing access to electricity in the region.
