Prof Sospeter Muhongo, Minister of Energy and Minerals, recently announced that Tanzania will reach a power surplus of 1,500 MW by 2015.
Accordingly Tanzania is expected to start exporting electricity by the end of 2014, the Minister said.
The announcement follows the signing of the agreement for a 240MW gas power plant in Kinyerezi, between the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) and China Power Investment Corporation Limited (CPI).
TANESCO communicated that the construction of the plant is expected to start once the gas pipeline between Mtwara, where large deposits of natural gas are found, and Kinyerezi, is completed.
The construction of the 532km long pipeline was officially inaugurated by the Government of Tanzania in September 2012 and is expected to take 12-24 months to be completed.