TANZANIA · ENERGY
Key Facts
- —The country Tanzania is an East African country that borders Zambia, a copper-mining nation, near the towns of Tunduma and Nakonde.
- —What happened On Thursday 15 October Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi inspected the Tanzania to Zambia power line project, which the Energy Ministry says is 92% complete.
- —The line A 400-kilovolt line of about 618 kilometres runs from Iringa to Malangali, and the grid connects to Zambia at the Nakonde border point.
- —The deadline The ministry expects the project to be finished in December 2026.
- —The local gap Rukwa region receives about 16 megawatts of power but needs about 30 megawatts, the Vice President said.
- —What it means for you The line would let East and Southern African grids trade power, which matters for copper mining and for Western-funded energy projects.
- —Still open No electricity sales contract, price or start date for exports to Zambia has been published.
Tanzania’s Zambia power line project is 92% complete and due to be finished in December 2026, the Energy Ministry said. Deputy Energy Minister Salome Makamba gave the figure in Tunduma, a Tanzanian border town, on Thursday 15 October.
For US readers, the Zambia power line matters because it will link two regional grids and open an electricity trade route to copper-rich Zambia. The World Bank and the European Union are among the funders of the project.
What the Ministry Said in Tunduma
Makamba said, “Implementation has reached 92 per cent and is expected to be completed in December 2026.” She added that the government is watching the project closely so it finishes on schedule.
Engineer Innocent Luoga, the ministry’s Commissioner for Electricity and Renewable Energy, said officials will keep supervising the contractors. He said the aim is to finish on time and to the required standards.
What the Vice President Saw
Ndejembi visited the Malangali substation in Rukwa region and the Nkangamo substation in Songwe region. The Swahili news site Bongo5 reported that Nkangamo is 83% built.
A substation is the yard where high-voltage power is stepped down for homes and factories. Ndejembi said Rukwa region receives about 16 megawatts but needs about 30 megawatts.
He said the shortage forces some farmers to sell raw crops instead of processing them. The line runs about 618 kilometres from Iringa to Malangali and, in his words, will end the long-standing power problem.
How the Zambia Power Line Could Drive Trade
Ndejembi said Tanzania’s position lets it act as a link in electricity trade between East and Southern Africa. He said the line will strengthen cooperation with neighbours including Zambia through the Southern African Power Pool.
The Southern African Power Pool is the regional body through which national grids trade electricity. The European Union’s delegation in Zambia says the wider interconnector links the Southern and Eastern African power pools.
The EU adds that the link will help Zambia’s hydropower grid cope with droughts. It also says reliable power supports Zambia’s goal of tripling copper production by 2031.
Who Is Paying for the Project
A December 2020 EU fact sheet put the Tanzanian project budget at about 500 million euros (about US$559 million). It named France’s development agency AFD as lead partner, alongside the World Bank and a 30 million euro (about US$34 million) EU grant.
On the Zambian side, a US$292 million grant package was launched in Lusaka on 11 April 2025, according to the Zambia Invest portal. It combines US$245 million from the World Bank, US$30 million from the EU and US$17 million from the United Kingdom.
How the Work Has Moved Since March
In March 2026 the Daily News reported overall progress of 76%, with line construction at 92.87% and substations at 60.57%. Ndejembi was Energy Minister at the time and directed the state utility TANESCO to finish the work.
He now serves as Vice President, while Makamba serves as Deputy Energy Minister. TANESCO, the Tanzania Electric Supply Company, runs the national grid, as our earlier report on its connection scheme with CRDB Bank explains.
What It Means for US Readers
Zambia wants to triple its copper output by 2031, and the EU says steady power is part of that plan. Power flowing across the border on the Zambia power line could ease shortages and drought losses on its hydropower grid.
Investors in African energy and mining should note that grants from the World Bank, the EU and the United Kingdom funded the Zambian link. Our guide to Zambia and its neighbours explains the country’s place in the region.
What Is Not Known
No contract, price or volume has been published for electricity sales between Tanzania and Zambia. No date has been given for when power will first cross the border on the new Zambia power line.
Tanzania’s section of the Zambia power line was first expected to be commissioned on 26 May 2026, according to TanzaniaInvest, so December is later. No reason for the later date has been published.
More: Tanzania news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Zambia power line?
It is a 400-kilovolt transmission line from Iringa in Tanzania towards the Zambian border, known locally as TAZA. It is meant to link the Tanzanian and Zambian grids.
How much of the project is done?
Deputy Energy Minister Salome Makamba said on 15 October that implementation has reached 92%. The Nkangamo substation in Songwe region is 83% built, according to Bongo5.
When will the line be finished?
The Energy Ministry expects completion in December 2026. An earlier plan had Tanzania’s section commissioned on 26 May 2026.
Who is paying for the project?
An EU fact sheet names France’s development agency AFD as lead partner, with the World Bank and the EU. A US$292 million grant package funds the Zambian side.
Will Tanzania sell electricity to Zambia?
The Vice President said the line will help Tanzania trade power with neighbours including Zambia. No contract, price or start date has been published.
Sources: Daily News (Tanzania), Makamba banks on TAZA power project to advance Tanzania-Zambia’s business ties, 16 October 2026; Ministry of Energy (Tanzania), Wananchi kunufaika na maboresho ya miundombinu ya umeme Tunduma, 16 October 2026; Bongo5, Ndejembi: Mradi wa Taza kuwa chachu ya maendeleo ya kiuchumi mikoa ya Nyanda za Juu Kusini, 15 October 2026; Daily News (Tanzania), Five regions see benefits of TAZA power interconnection as it nears completion, 9 March 2026; EU Delegation to Zambia, Connecting people, empowering communities: Zambia-Tanzania interconnector launched, 11 April 2025; EU, Tanzania-Zambia Interconnector fact sheet, December 2020; Zambia Invest, Zambia Launches Implementation of US$292 Million Financing for Tanzania Power Interconnector, 21 April 2025; TanzaniaInvest, Tanzania Set to Export Electricity to Zambia via Interconnector by 2026, 23 April 2025.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief