Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu has defended the decision of her government to import electricity through Kenya Power.
Speaking during the inauguration of a water project in Kilimanjaro on Sunday, March 9, the president explained that the government planned to import power from Ethiopia through Kenya, with the help of Kenya Power.
She said that the move was meant to tackle persistent power shortages in the Northern Zone, where frequent blackouts have led to economic losses exceeding Ksh32 billion every year.
Further, Suluhu explained that transmitting electricity over long distances from the southeastern region to the Northern Zone has led to significant energy losses, making local supply unreliable.
Additionally, the move is meant to reduce energy production costs and boost regional energy trade.
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Samia Suluhu’s Govt Explains the Benefits
At the same time, Tanzanian Government Spokesperson Gerson Msigwa indicated that the power reaching the Northern Zone of Tanzania was being sourced from the South-Eastern region, and it underwent long-distance transmission, resulting in substantial losses and instability.
“The importation of electricity from Ethiopia through Kenya will help eliminate frequent outages and reduce the significant energy losses associated with long-distance transmission,” Msigwa stated.
Additionally, he noted that Tanzania is part of the North Africa Power Pool, which facilitates electricity trading among member states at competitive rates.
The government also highlighted that the cost of imported electricity from Ethiopia is expected to be lower than some domestic power generation sources.
The statement also clarified that importing electricity from neighboring countries was not a new approach, as Tanzania had previously engaged in similar cross-border energy agreements to enhance power stability.
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Areas Where Kenya Power Will Take Charge
In December 2024, Tanzania launched trial operations for the Tanzania-Kenya Power Interconnection Project.
The interconnection extends from the Isinya substation in Kajiado County, Kenya, to Arusha in Tanzania, and further links Arusha to Singida via Babati.
The Kenyan section will extend to Ethiopia, while the Tanzanian line will connect to Zambia, ultimately linking the EAPP with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
By leveraging the interconnection project, Tanzania seeks to establish itself as a key player in Africa’s energy market, improving domestic supply while benefiting from regional energy trade.
Also, the initiative is expected to enhance reliability, affordability, and sustainability in electricity distribution across East and Southern Africa.
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