Tanzania invites EoIs for hydropower plant
Tanzania has invited expressions of interest (EoIs) from prospective bidders for the construction of the $144 million 50MW Malagarasi hydropower plant. Bidding documents are expected to be issued in June this year.
The project, located in the Kigoma region and part of the government’s Vision 2025 development programme, comprises a run-of-river hydro facility with a 54km, 132kV transmission line to link up the new power plant to the national grid and enable rural electrification of the surrounding area.
Developers have been invited to contact the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANSECO) for further information. Later in the year, tendering will begin for the EPC contract, the duties of which include the construction of: hydropower plant; evacuation transmission line; and distribution networks and rural electrification lines.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is the sole lender on the project, having approved a $120 million loan in November 2020, as well as a further $20 million from the AfDB-managed Africa Growing Together Fund. The government is funding the remaining $4.14 million.
Malagarasi is expected to cut the cost of energy from $0.33 kilowatts per hour to just $0.04. The 133,000 households expected to benefit from the new generation project will represent a large increase in rural electrification in Kigoma.
