Woman-led Tanzania shuts down 5 hydroelectric stations to reduce excess power on national grid

By BASHIR ADEFAKA with agencies

…Nyerere Hydroelectric Station alone has already generated enough electricity to power major cities, including the country’s main commercial hub, Dar es Salaam.

The United Republic of Tanzania has announced the shutdown of five of its hydroelectric stations in the country, not for any negative reason but to reduce excess electricity in its national grid.

Tanzania, an East African regional bloc country, records this excellent achievement in electricity, a sector that not many higher-hype giants of Africa even ruled by men have been able to really make good for their industrialisation development need.

Electric power growth and development is one of the undeniable achievements of President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hajia Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has been in power since she was sworn-in on 19 March 2021 following the death of her predecessor, now former President, John Magufuli.

Born 27 January 1960, Hajia Samia Hassan, is a Tanzanian politician who had served as vice president of Tanzania from 2015 to 2021 before becoming President by fate, has taken the country through hills and valleys of life to the successes of today, which even in Nigeria that is most referenced globally in terms of popularity is yet to attain.

The nation’s Prime Minister, Mr. Kassim Majaliwa, announced the shutdown of the hydroelectric stations explaining it was done in order to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.

According to Mr Majaliwa, the main plant, which is Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone has already generated enough electricity to power major cities, including the country’s main commercial hub, Dar es Salaam.

An official of Tanesco, the power company run by the country, was quoted by the BBC as saying that, “We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now.”

Following heavy rains that began earlier in the year, the 2,115MW Julius Nyerere hydropower dam is said to be filled up with water.

The shutdown makes it the first time the country, which suffers chronic power shortages, will be shutting its hydroelectric stations over excess production.

The development comes just two months after the first turbine, with a capacity of 235 MW of a new hydroelectric plant, was switched on, in order to increase the power generation capacity and help reduce months of power rationing.