China to Construct 96km Power Line from Kenya to Tanzania

Kenya recently signed a contract with the North China Power Engineering (NCPE) company for the construction of a 96km power line from Isinya in Kenya to the Namanga border with Tanzania.

This is part of the Kenya-Tanzania interconnector project, which involves the construction of about 510km transmission line from Kenya to Tanzania.

“With a capacity to transfer 2,000MW in either direction, the interconnector will have positive impacts on the development of renewable sources of energy in Kenya and Tanzania because the interconnected system of both countries will result in a larger, more stable system,” the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) indicates.

On Kenya’s side, the project involves the construction of 96km of 400kV transmission line from Isinya to the Namanga border and an extension of the 400/220kV Isinya substation.

The Tanzanian part will involve the construction of a 414km 400kV transmission line from Namanga to Singida, construction of a 400kV Arusha substation, as well as an extension of the 220/33kV Singida substation.

The construction is estimated to take 22 months at the total cost of approximately USD309m.

The project is expected to result in a reduction of energy production costs of USD109.64m in both Tanzania and Kenya and improve power supply and trade in East Africa to 5,885.80GW-h by 2022, according to the project’s assessment from the African Development Bank (AfDB).

As a result, a decrease in Tanzania’s average electricity tariff will be achieved in the same period, from USD0.14 per kW-h to USD0.09 per kW-h.

It will also support an increase in Tanzania’s GDP growth from the current 6.8% per annum to 10% per annum in 2022, the AfDB estimates.