Tanzanian power utility disclosed that it anticipates to start importing electricity from Ethiopia by 2019.

Commenting on the matter, Tanzania Electricity Supply Co., Managing Director Felichesmi Mramba, said before contractors start work on a final link to Kenya, transmission line which links the central town of Iringa to Shinyanga, in the North of Tanzania, would be completed. He added the connection to Kenya would be completed by 2018.

Tanzania expects to begin importing electricity from Ethiopia in 2019 when the eastern African nations complete interconnection grids currently to form a regional power pool, according to Tanzania’s power utility.

Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania are part of the 12 state Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP). EAPP’s 2014 master plan stipulates, EAPP plans to spend 1.6 billion USD in the next decade in the aim of linking the countries’ grids.

“In 2018, I should be able to get power from Ethiopia, but I know Ethiopia will be ready by 2019,” Mramba said. “We will start with 200 megawatts and then slowly will be increasing to 400 megawatts.”

Ethiopia is aiming to generate 20 million USD by way of private investment at the end of the decade. It also plans to increase its generation capacity 4 fold to 20 gigawatts by constructing plants, including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam which will generate 6,000 megawatt.

Kenya Generating Co. on its part is spending 8.1 billion USD in order to boost capacity by 45 percent. The country is also considering nuclear-power plant.

Tanzania, on the other hand, plans to triple its capacity in the coming 5 years and generate 5,000 megawatts. According to Tanesco, the nation’s consumption increases by 13 percent a year.

Source: Bloomberg