Tanzania Commissions $3.35 Billion Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant (Photos)

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Saturday officially commissioned the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Power Plant (JNHPP), with a generation capacity of 2,115 megawatts, at the project site in Rufiji, Pwani region.

The 7.452 trillion Tanzanian shilling ($3.35 billion) plant was built between June 2019 and March 2025.

The inauguration was attended by senior officials including Vice President Emmanuel Nchimbi, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Energy Minister Deogratius Ndejembi.

The inauguration marked the completion of the major strategic project, which was financed entirely by the Tanzanian government.

The project has increased Tanzania’s electricity generation capacity and strengthened energy security.

Tanzania Electricity Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) Managing Director Lazaro Twange said the government is relying on the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project to transform the country’s electricity generation capacity and strengthen its position as a major business and investment hub in East Africa.

Twange said the plant would significantly increase Tanzania’s power supply and support economic and commercial growth.

He described the dam as a major strategic engineering project equipped with modern infrastructure aimed at strengthening Tanzania’s energy security and economic potential.

“The project’s nine turbines will substantially expand Tanzania’s electricity generation capacity, creating greater room for industrial growth, investment and trade,” he said.

The government, through TANESCO, signed a construction contract for the project on Dec. 12, 2018, with Egyptian companies Arab Contractors and Elsewedy Electric.

A day earlier, on Dec. 11, 2018, the government assigned TANESCO responsibility for overseeing the project’s implementation.

Twange said TANESCO subsequently signed an agreement with the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS) on April 17, 2019, covering consultancy and supervision of some project activities.

The dam is one of Tanzania’s largest and most strategic infrastructure projects, comprising six key components that form the power-generation complex, Twange said.