In September 2020, the Gaita Gold Mine bid farewell to the roar of diesel generators for the first time and connected to the stable power of the State Grid. That was the first kilowatt hour of electricity sent out by the Gaita Briyanghulu 220 kV substation and transmission line constructed by China Power Construction. Five years have passed, and the number of mining equipment has increased and the mining face has become farther away. The electricity that was sufficient in the past is now insufficient. So, a new route was put on the agenda. The electricity bill of a mine often becomes an equipment list and engineering quantity earlier than a national level plan.

Electricity needs to be delivered

On September 9, 2026, Tanzania's Deputy Minister of Energy, Salome Makamba, stated during a meeting with representatives from China Power Construction Corporation in Dodoma that the country aims to increase its power generation capacity to 8000 megawatts by 2030. The two sides exchanged views on cooperation in power generation, transmission, distribution, and energy storage, and are currently in the stage of negotiating investment opportunities. Makamba said that Tanzania will expand its capacity through various energy sources such as hydropower, solar energy, wind power, and geothermal energy. Investors with funding, technology, and professional capabilities are welcome to participate; China Power Construction expressed its willingness to participate in renewable energy and energy storage projects, including battery storage and pumped storage.

This is not starting from scratch. In August 2026, the Julius Nyerere hydroelectric power station will be fully operational, with a total installed capacity of 2115 megawatts, raising Tanzania's total installed capacity to 4646 megawatts, which can meet nearly half of the country's electricity demand. That is to say, half of the 8000 megawatts have already been captured, and the rest will have to be filled up one by one with new projects.

The progress of solar energy provides an entry point for observation. On September 3rd, the Ministry of Energy announced that solar energy has contributed 65 megawatts to the national power grid; After the completion of the second phase of the Xinianjia solar project, it is expected to add another 100 megawatts, and there are also three small-scale power generation projects with a total of 22 megawatts in the final stage of construction. The Sinianga 50 MW photovoltaic project undertaken by China Power Construction in February this year has been connected to the grid for power generation, making it the country's first large-scale grid connected photovoltaic power station.

How much electricity a unit can generate is one thing, but how much users can use is another. Which substation should the new power source be connected to, which power consumption area should it serve, and who should regulate the peak and valley are the issues that Chinese enterprises must synchronously understand when tracking projects.

Gold mines pull out orders

Just one week before the talks, on September 3rd, Tanzania Electricity Company TANESCO signed a 63 billion Tanzanian shilling power supply project contract to construct a 220 kV line from Mpengwu to the Gaita gold mine and build a new substation equipped with a 90 megavolt ampere transformer.

The real changes in electricity consumption are behind this contract. After the Gaita Gold Mine is connected to the State Grid in 2024, with an increase in equipment and expansion of mining activities, the original power supply facilities have become tight. The new project not only expands the transmission capacity but also increases TANESCO's electricity sales revenue. Mining is extremely sensitive to power supply quality, and the aging of transmission and distribution systems has always been a pain point for local mining enterprises. The mining party needs stable electricity, while the power company needs to sell more electricity. One line binds the interests of both parties together. The capacity expansion needs of existing customers are more easily converted into transformer capacity, switchgear, and construction scope than the overall installation target.

Buyer and network connection conditions

Enterprises that want to invest in power plants need to first understand who will buy electricity and how to make payments. The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), abbreviated as PPA, is approved by the Tanzania Energy and Water Regulatory Authority (EWURA) and provides agreement templates for different types of power sources. But signing an agreement does not mean starting construction. EWURA's updated report in March this year showed that the power station projects corresponding to the 36 power purchase agreements are still in different stages of financing implementation. Buyers, loans, and internet access should be evaluated together.

Equipment manufacturers need to make more specific judgments: whether technical specifications have been established, who will organize procurement, and whether payment is guaranteed. Energy storage companies also need to answer what problems the system solves, who schedules them, and how services are billed. Enterprises building factories in Tanzania need to compare their site selection with the national power grid expansion plan, verify access capacity, line completion time, and power supply stability, and also calculate backup power sources.keywords:New energy information network

8000 megawatts is a distant number. First, find clear buyers and network connection conditions, and then decide how much business and technical resources to invest. Only then can Chinese enterprises turn their goals into contracts in their hands.Editor/Yang Meiling