KAGERA Region is set to be properly connected to the national power grid following the signing of key contracts for construction of two transmission lines.

Lazaro Twange, the Tanzania Electric Supply Co. Ltd (TANESCO) managing director, said at the signing ceremony that the project is a milestone for the policy of prioritising energy infrastructure as a catalyst for economic development.

 It marks a new chapter in the government’s efforts to improve electricity access in underserved areas, he said of the project to extend a 220 kilovolt (kV) transmission line from Benaco in Ngara District to Kyaka in Misenyi District, linking Kagera with the national grid and cut reliance on importing electricity from neighboring Uganda.

A Chinese company TBEA and India’s Transrail Lighting Ltd signed contracts for implementation of the transmission line project, alongside building a new substation at Benaco and upgrading Kyaka substation.

 The 24 months project for the line covers 166 kilometers, carrying power to thousands of residents and businesses, he said, affirming that by connecting Kagera to the national grid, “we are not only strengthening energy security but also opening doors for industrial investments, trade and social transformation.”

The total project cost is estimated at $105.6m, jointly financed by international development partners including the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, and the Saudi Fund for Development, with the government contributing part of the funding, he said.

The support underscores global confidence in Tanzania’s energy sector reforms and its vision of universal electricity access by 2030, he said, while Deputy Prime Minister Dr Doto Biteko urged TANESCO to ensure timely and efficient implementation of the project.

He directed that 1014 households which paved way for the project to be paid the set 2.6bn/- by end of next month at the latest. “I want to see those patriotic Tanzanians who paved the way for the project to be paid as soon as possible, and if delayed, it should be done by the end of October,” he emphasised.

Local leaders in Kagera have welcomed the signing, saying the project will significantly reduce power shortages that have long hindered the region’s economic potential. “This project will change the lives of our people,’ top officials said.

Regional Commissioner Fatma Mwasa said that reliable electricity will enhance healthcare services, improve education through digital learning and attract agro-processing industries that add value to crops produced in the region

The new transmission line will also complement ongoing renewable energy projects in the region, including the Rusumo hydropower plant which is set to generate 80MW shared by Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

There is also the Kakono hydropower plant projected to supply 87MW upon completion, altogether making Kagera a strategic energy hub in the Lake Zone, even as construction is expected to take several years, with the government pledging close monitoring to ensure timely delivery.

Once operational, the project is anticipated to lower power tariffs in the region by reducing dependence on costly cross-border supply, while also contributing to national grid stability.

With the signing of the contract, Kagera moves closer to a future of sustainable power, economic growth and improved living standards for its more than three million residents, the RC noted.