Construction of Tanzania dam by Egyptian builders raises eyebrows
Nyerere dam project. Once completed, the $3 billion the Julius Nyerere dam on the Rufiji River could be Africa’s fourth biggest by power production, producing up to 5920GWH of power annually. FILE PHOTO | COURTESY
Later this year, Egyptian engineering firm Arab Contractors is expected to complete the construction of the Julius Nyerere dam on the Rufiji River. Once completed, the $3 billion dam could be Africa’s fourth biggest by power production, producing up to 5920GWH of power annually, enabling Tanzania to close the gap between those with electricity and those who have no access.
The Egyptian firm has used the dam, to be run by the Tanzania Electricity Supply Company (Tanesco), to market its prowess, depicting it as a symbol of Egyptian engineering capabilities. The facility, according to the company’s profile of it, is erected at 440 feet with a reservoir of about 100km long, enough to hold 34 billion cubic metres
