It will be constructed from Singida via Arusha to Namanga border and Isinya in Kenya, covering 318 kilometres in Tanzania while the remaining 96 kilometres will be built in Kenya. The power line is a joint project between TANESCO and Kenya Transmission Company (Ketraco).

 

"This project is one of the northern links of the Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya, a broader project to connect the East African Power Pool (EAPP) and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP)," the Managing Director of TANESCO, Engineer Felchesmi Mramba, said during the signing ceremony.

 

Three companies are set to implement the mega project and they include Kalpatan Power Transmission Limited of India, Ms Bouygues Energy and Services of France as well as a consortium of Energoinvest and EMS of Yugoslavia and India, respectively.

 

The Tanesco boss said implementation of the venture has been divided in three slots and awarded to three different contractors for smooth and timely execution. "I hereby urge contractors to ensure they complete the project on time, we will not tolerate delays.

 

Any contractor who will fail to complete the project on time will never be awarded any other contract by TANESCO," he warned. The project which is set to be completed in 24 months is being funded jointly by the government of Tanzania, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). According to Eng Mramba, the 400 kilovolts transmission line will have a capacity to transfer up to 2,000 mega watts (MW) on either direction.

 

"This project will improve supply, reliability and affordability of electricity in the Eastern African region through cross border exchanges of cheaper and cleaner surplus power from neighbouring countries.

 

"It will promote power trade at regional level and contribute to Eastern Africa's socio-economic transformation and help to improve power supply in Tanzania from short and medium terms with imports from Ethiopia," he explained.

 

Out of the total funding, US $258.82 million dollars will be used on the Tanzanian side while the remaining US $50.45 million dollars will be spent on the Kenyan side. There will be as well a substation to be constructed in Tanzania.

 

The EAPP and SAPP are projects meant to exchange power between countries in the region given varied potential of power generation in respective countries. "For instance, Tanzania has vast resources of natural gas to produce power while Kenya and Ethiopia boast of geothermal and hydro-power resources," Eng Mramba explained.

 

Speaking at the event, the AfDB's Resident Representative in Tanzania, Dr Tonia Kandiero, said the institution supported the project as it recognises the importance of the energy sector in boosting the economy.

 

"We have just 22 months to implement the project, I thus urge the contractors to ensure they complete it on time," she urged. The same views were shared by a representative of JICA, Ms Rosina Apolei, who was confident that the contractors will do a good work.

Source : allafrica.com