Tanzania has started construction of a backbone 400 kilovolts power transmission line that will link Kenya and Zambia.
The project will see Tanzania implement a new high voltage transmission line on a 667 kilometres long power line from Iringa to Shinyanga that will link existing and future generating sources in the south and southwest of Tanzania.
The project is expected to reinforce the power transmission line linkage between generating sources in the south and the load centres including travelling and mining sectors in the north of the country as well as to contribute to reducing green house gas emissions.
The government of Japan, co-financing with the African Development Bank through the Enhanced Private sector Assistance initiative for Africa will give financial assistant in the form of a loan of $723,895.
The construction of the 217 kilometres double circuit 400KV line between Dodoma and Singida will be done through a joint venture between the African Development Bank that will provide $100 million, and the Japanese government that will provide another $100 million.
Ramadhani Khijjah, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs told The EastAfrican that the entire project will be financed by donors in four lots.
Mr Khijjah said that the first lot will involve the construction of 225 kilometres double circuit of 400KV between Iringa and Dodoma, the second lot will be for 217 km of double circuit between Iringa and Dodoma, the third lot will involve 225km between Singida and Shinyanga and the fourth lost will be the Iringa, Singida and Shinyanga substations.
“The project is a key element for the expansion and strengthening of the Tanzania power transmission infrastructure and generating sources of power for the tourism and mining sector in the country,” he said.
Other development partners that will contribute to the project include the International Development Association that will provide $150 million, the European Investment Bank will provide $134.5 million, the Export Bank of Korea will provide $36.4 million and the government of Japan through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that will contribute $100 million.
Mr Shuichiro Kawaguchi, Ambassador of Japan to Tanzania told The EastAfrican in Dar es Salaam last week that to attain the Millennium development Goals, the Japanese government has provided $1 billion in Africa between 2005 and 2010 in partnership with African Development Bank.
Mr Kawaguchi said that Tanzania will be among the developing countries that will also benefit from $15 billion up to the year 2012 to mitigate against climate change.
“This funding will most certainly have a positive effect on the economic development of the country, through the improvement in access to electric power,” he said.
Mr Yukihide Katsuta, Chief Representative of JICA Tanzania said JICA is given an authority from the Government of Japan to implement and monitor the progress of the project, and is responsible for the fund disbursement.
