Nyakanazi Power Substation to Undergo Major Expansion in Tanzania

Posted on : Tuesday , 28th October 2025

The government, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, has disclosed plans to expand the Nyakanazi Power Substation situated in the Biharamulo District of the Kagera Region. This effort is intended to strengthen its linkage with the national grid and to improve the availability of reliable electricity services.

The initiative aims to improve the connectivity of Tanzania's power grid, establishing a unified, cohesive network that will facilitate the more efficient export of electricity to neighboring countries.

During a special visit to the facility, Engineer Isack Kisandu, the Supervising Engineer of the Nyakanazi Substation, addressed journalists, stating that the station currently operates three primary transmission lines, each with a capacity of 220 kilovolts (kV). Following the expansion, the capacity of each line will increase to 400 kV.

"A single line conveys electricity to Geita, which is linked to the national grid; the second line obtains power from the Rusumo Power Plant; and the third line delivers electricity to Kigoma," stated Eng Kisandu. He clarified that the expansion will facilitate complete interconnection of the national grid, thereby guaranteeing reliable power distribution to areas that still depend on cross-border supply, including Sumbawanga in the Rukwa Region, which presently obtains electricity from Zambia.

The substation features two transformers, each possessing a capacity of 40 megavoltamperes (MVA), which reduce the voltage from 220 kV to 33 kV for distribution. Eng Kisandu mentioned that Nyakanazi presently operates four primary feeder lines that supply electricity to seven districts spanning three regions: Kagera Region (comprising Ngara and Biharamulo districts), Geita Region (including Chato, Bukombe, and Mbogwe districts), and Kigoma Region, which encompasses Kakonko and Kibondo districts.

We serve a broad region in providing electricity to residents, as Nyakanazi is the initial substation to obtain power from the Rusumo generation facility," he remarked. He stated that the station presently obtains an average of 27 megawatts (MW) from Rusumo, of which approximately 19 MW are utilized within the connected districts, while the excess is supplied to the national grid.