The Tanzanian government has defended its decision to import electricity from Ethiopia through Kenya, citing economic and technical benefits in addressing persistent power shortages in the Northern Zone. Frequent outages in the region have resulted in annual economic losses exceeding Sh32 billion.
Speaking at the inauguration of a water project in Kilimanjaro, President Samia Suluhu Hassan reassured the public that the move was carefully evaluated, emphasizing that long-distance transmission from the South-Eastern region has led to significant energy losses, making local power supply unreliable.
Later, Government Spokesperson Gerson Msigwa released a statement confirming the plan, highlighting that electricity currently supplied to the Northern Zone must travel long distances, reducing efficiency and stability. He explained that importing electricity from Ethiopia would help minimize outages and improve supply reliability.
The statement further noted that electricity from Ethiopia is expected to be more affordable than some domestic power sources. As a member of the North Africa Power Pool, Tanzania benefits from regional electricity trade, securing competitive prices.
The government also emphasized that importing power from neighboring countries is not a new approach. Tanzania has previously sourced electricity for border regions from Zambia (Rukwa), Uganda (Kagera), and Kenya (Tanga) to support its national grid. Additionally, plans are underway to export Tanzanian electricity to neighboring countries through regional power trade agreements.
“This initiative aligns with Tanzania’s broader strategy to ensure a stable, cost-effective power supply while reducing inefficiencies in the grid,” the statement concluded.