Tanzania has officially commissioned the 2,115 MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP) on the Rufiji River (Tanzanian Ministry of Energy statement, 22/08/2026).
The TZS7.45tn (USD2.8bn) plant, whose construction began in June 2019 and was completed in March 2025, more than doubles Tanzania's electricity generation capacity. According to the Ministry of Energy, the country's installed generation capacity has increased to 4.6 GW, compared with a peak demand of 2.27 GW, creating a surplus of 2.38 GW available for exports.
The government expects the project to improve the reliability of electricity supply after a power generation shortfall that had led to frequent blackouts in the past. Tanzania is already holding discussions to export electricity to neighbouring countries, including Kenya and Zambia.
With the commissioning of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, hydropower should account for about 60% of Tanzania's electricity generation, with most of the remaining output supplied by natural gas-fired power plants.
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