Browsing: access to electricity in Africa

tanzania electricity

Bright turnaround: Tanzania overcomes outages, now enjoys over 400MW surplus

Countries
  • Activation of Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant (JNHPP) turbines increase output.
  • Authorities say a national renovation of power infrastructure is underway.
  • Minor outages persist in several regions due to ongoing maintenance.

Tanzania electricity supply has seen a significant increase, with the country now enjoying surplus power output as the current generation capacity reaches 2,152 megawatts (MW), well above the total demand of 1,683MW. This increase in capacity is attributed to the activation of three turbines at the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant (JNHPP). That plant alone is projected to produce some 2,115 MW when fully operational.

This remarkable turnaround comes less than a year after Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu dissolved the entire Tanesco board following persistent blackouts caused by low water levels in dams due to drought and delays in power plant maintenance.

Speaking to the press in the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s Deputy Prime Minister Dr. …

Kenya's Electricity Imports

Top electrification projects undertaken in Africa in 2021 

Africa
  • In pursuit of bringing about electrification to the continent, the energy sector was abuzz with activity in 2021
  • In September 2021, for instance, Uganda launched the last-mile connectivity component to connect 87,500 rural households with affordable electricity
  • In June 2021, the World Bank Board approved US$200 million in International Development Association (IDA) funding to help Benin improve its access to electricity services for households, businesses, and essential public services

Africa is the world’s least electrified continent, with nearly 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa or 53 per cent of the population still living in the dark in 2021, according to data by The Economist. 

In pursuit of bringing about electrification to the continent, the energy sector was abuzz with activity in 2021. Below are some of the most significant electrification projects that have been ongoing in Africa in the past year.

  1. Uganda’s last-mile connectivity project 

In September 2021, Uganda launched

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