Tanzania is set to finish two major projects that will connect electricity to Kenya and Zambia by 2019, this is according to the ministry of Energy and Minerals.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Dr. Juliana Pallangyo confirmed the news during a Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) executive committee meeting and said that Tanzania was missing a chance to trade power with other Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) member countries due to not being interconnected.

“Tanzania is missing a chance of trading power with other SADC countries but this initiative of partnering with Zambia will boost its economy.

The two projects namely; Iringa-Shinyanga (Backbone Transmission Investment Project) which will be interconnected with Kenya grid and the Iringa-Mbeya which will be connected to Zambia are expected to be complete in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

According to Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (Tanesco), the acting Managing Director Decklan Mhaiki, said that the country had for many years suspended inter-connecting power projects due to lack of funds but now funds for the two projects; Iringa-Shinyanga-to-Kenya have been secured and construction will commence anytime, while the Tanzania-Zambia project is currently under feasibility study.

“The funds for Iringa-Shinyanga-to-Kenya have been secured the Tanzania-Zambia project is currently under feasibility study, the World Bank and Bank of France have shown interests to fund the implementation of the projects,” he said.

Tanzania is currently in good position in the energy sector with the ongoing gas discoveries which will be used to generate electricity and it has already shown the potential.

Tanzania, Malawi and Angola are the only SADC member states which were not inter-connected since Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP) was established in 1995. Apart from trading power with SAPP , a country could rely on power from other countries during an emergency.