Tanzania’s mega development project, Julius Nyerere Dam, which is being constructed by a consortium of two Egyptian companies, is set to start power generation in mid-February, said Ahmed El-Sewedy, the CEO of El-Sewedy Electric, one of the consortium partners.
The dam is now 94 percent complete and undergoing testing, El-Sewedy said at a meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to follow up on the project, according to a cabinet statement.
El-Sewedy revealed that work is currently underway to establish an industrial zone over an area of 2.5 million square metres in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam.
During the meeting, Madbouly reiterated that the project reflects Egypt’s keenness to cooperate with Africa in implementing development projects.
The dam, with a length of 1,025 metres and a storage capacity of about 34 billion cubic metres of water – is aimed at doubling Tanzania's energy production, controlling floods, and improving agriculture.
The $2.9 billion dam, referred to as the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Power Project (JNHPP), is expected to solve the country's electricity shortage problem by securing clean power to more than 60 million Tanzanians as well as controlling water flow during flooding.
The JNHPP has been under construction since 2019 and is expected to produce 5,920 GWh of power annually when completed.
The energy generated will be transmitted at a voltage of 400 kilovolts to a substation, where it will be integrated into the national electricity grid.
The project is being implemented through a joint venture of two Egyptian companies: the state-owned Arab Contractors Company and the privately owned El-Sewedy Electric.
The project – fully financed by the Tanzanian government – is providing work to 8,000 Tanzanians, 1,000 Egyptians, and other foreign workers, according to Egyptian officials.
The JNHPP dates back to August 2017, when Tanzania announced bids for the construction of the dam, which were later won by the Egyptian consortium. Ahram Online
