DODOMA: Tanzania expanded its national electricity transmission network by 674 kilometers during the 2023/24 financial year, marking a major step in improving access and reliability, the country’s energy regulator announced.
The increase, detailed in the Electricity Sub-Sector Regulatory Performance Report published by the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (EWURA), represents a 9.84 percent growth in the transmission network, which now stands at 7,524 kilometers in total.
“The expansion is a strategic response to growing electricity demand across the country, particularly in emerging industrial zones and underserved rural areas,” said Dr. James Mwainyekule, Director General of EWURA. “It also strengthens the resilience and stability of the national grid.”
The upgrades are part of broader investments by the government through TANESCO and development partners. They include new high-voltage lines and grid interconnection projects to link regions and improve load balancing across the system.
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In his remarks during the launch of the EWURA report in April, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy DR. Doto Biteko underscored the importance of transmission expansion for economic transformation. “The expansion of electricity transmission infrastructure stimulates the industrial economy and brings better services to rural and urban areas,” he said.
Tanzania has also prioritized regional interconnection efforts, including links with Zambia, Uganda, and Kenya, to improve power trading and boost energy security in the East African region.
EWURA’s report notes that transmission improvements are critical to supporting the government’s ambitious Vision 2025 targets, which include universal electricity access, reduced power losses, and uninterrupted supply for both domestic and industrial consumers.
