The Tanzanian government has shut down five hydroelectric stations across the country due to excess electricity production in the national grid, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa announced today.
The move comes as the recently completed Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, the country’s largest power plant, has generated enough electricity to meet the demands of major cities like the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much. We have no allocation now,” a representative from the state-run power company Tanesco stated.
According to the BBC, the 2,115 megawatt Julius Nyerere hydropower dam, one of the largest in Africa, is reported to be nearly full due to heavy rains that have persisted since early this year. These rains are part of an extreme weather pattern that has devastated other East African nations like Kenya, claiming at least 58 lives in Tanzania alone.
In a country that has long grappled with chronic power shortages, the decision to shut down hydroelectric facilities due to surplus production marks a significant milestone.
