First Turbine Installed at Rufiji Hydropower Plant

Rufiji Dam construction

The Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities of Egypt, Dr. Assem El Gazzar, has announced the successful installation works of the first turbine at Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant and Dam (JNHPP) at Stiegler’s Gorge on the Rufiji River in Tanzania.

The installation works started in the presence of officials of the Ministry of Energy of Tanzania and the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO).

Minister El Gazzar explained that a total of 9 turbines will be installed, each of which reaches a capacity of 235MW.

Located in the Selous Game Reserve, Pwani (Coast) Region, approximately 220 km (137 mi), by road, southwest of Tanzania’s commercial capital Dar es Salaam, the JNHPP is planned to have an installed capacity of 2,115MW when completed in June 2022.

The hydropower project will cost TZS 6.5 trillion(USD 1.38 billion) and will be the largest in East Africa, the fourth-largest in Africa, and the ninth-largest in the world when completed.

Want to know more about Energy in Tanzania? Our free Tanzania Business and Investment Guide 2026 covers Energy, plus regulations, key sectors, and investment opportunities—all in one place.

Download Free Guide
Related Posts
Tanzania ASSESSMENT OF ECONOMIC IMPACTS ON TANZANIA ARISING FROM THE GULF CRISIS
Read More

Tanzania Gulf Crisis Report Rates Energy, Food, Transport, Tourism and Budget at High Risk

A May 2026 rapid assessment by Tanzania's National Planning Commission and UNDP rates energy, food, transport, tourism and the Government budget at high risk from the Gulf crisis, which raised Dar es Salaam fuel prices by up to 69% between January and May 2026. The report flags a possible TZS 153.7 billion monthly customs revenue shortfall and fuel subsidy needs rising to TZS 1,384.2 billion by July, alongside buffers including a 124% food self-sufficiency ratio, USD 6.3 billion in reserves and 57 trillion cubic feet of gas.
Tanzania-Rwanda energy cooperation agreement 2026 Hassan Kagame
Read More

Tanzania and Rwanda Sign Energy Cooperation Agreement Covering Power Trade, Oil, Gas and LNG

Tanzania and Rwanda signed a bilateral energy cooperation agreement covering cross-border electricity trade, joint power infrastructure development, and petroleum product distribution. The deal also extends to oil and gas exploration, LNG project opportunities, and the use of artificial intelligence in the energy sector, building on the existing 80 MW Rusumo interconnection, which has synchronized the grids of Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi since March 2024.
Russia Maxim Reshetnikov Tanzania Kitila Mkumbo
Read More

Tanzania and Russia Agree to Open Industry, Energy, and Infrastructure to Joint Investment

Tanzania and Russia have agreed to deepen investment cooperation in industry, energy, transport infrastructure, and air transport, with value-addition processing, production technology, and goods transportation named as priority areas at the Third Joint Intergovernmental Commission held in Arusha on 15–16 May 2026, which drew 120 Russian companies. The deals also cover Russian investment in mining, agriculture, and ICT, direct Air Tanzania (ATCL) flights to Russia, and a signed agreement to promote the Swahili language in Russia.