By Our Correspondent – Dar es Salaam.
The Minister for Energy, Juma Homera, has said the Government will continue working closely with the private sector and other stakeholders to strengthen investment in clean energy and ensure reliable access to energy across the country, as part of implementing the National Development Vision.
Speaking at the 10th Power and Energy Trade Expo held at the Diamond Jubilee Hall in Dar es Salaam, Homera said the Government has continued to invest in electricity generation and distribution infrastructure to meet the country’s growing energy demand.
He said the completion of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP) has added 2,115 megawatts to the national grid, while the Kishapu Solar Power Project has contributed more than 50 megawatts, with new agreements expected to facilitate the generation of approximately 100 additional megawatts.
According to Homera, the Ministry of Energy has allocated more than 2.4 trillion Tanzanian shillings, equivalent to 97.5 percent of the ministry’s budget, for the implementation of various development projects in the electricity and energy sectors.
He said that after making significant progress in expanding electricity access in rural areas, the Government has continued with plans to connect more than 9,009 villages and hamlets across the country, while targeting to increase electricity generation capacity to 8,000 megawatts and connect more than 8.3 million customers by 2030.
For his part, a representative of the Tanzania Energy Association (TEA), Emmanuel Michael, said the sector requires broad cooperation between the Government and the private sector to increase investment, facilitate technology transfer and build the capacity of local experts.
He also emphasized the need to promote alternative energy sources, including solar, wind and biogas.
The Government has further urged both local and foreign investors to take advantage of opportunities available in the energy sector, including the construction of electric vehicle charging stations, natural gas projects and clean cooking energy initiatives.
The initiatives are part of efforts to achieve the national target of ensuring that 80 percent of Tanzanians have access to clean energy by 2034.
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