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Samia opens water channel to fill Julius Nyerere hydropower dam
10:36 CAT | 23 Dec 2022
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan presses a button on December 22, 2022 to open a diversion channel on Rufiji River to start filling water into the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Power Project. [Photo: Twitter / @SuluhuSamia]
The construction of Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project went a notch higher on Thursday after President Samia Suluhu Hassan officiated the opening of the diversion channel that will direct water into the dam for generation of electricity.
The 2,115 megawatts project is being built at a cost of Tsh6.55 trillion ($ 2.77 billion). The diversion is crucial because the volume of water diverted into the reservoir is crucial for the generation of electricity.
Speaking at the construction site, the Minister for Energy January Makamba said the dam is 78 per cent complete.
Mr Makamba added that the opening of the diversion channel is a significant step in filling water into the dam to start generating power at the largest hydropower project in the region.
“The dam to be used to generate water at the project measures about 916km2 and it will be more of a lake than a dam given its vast size,” he said.
According to him, the Tanzanian government has already paid Tshs4.5 trillion ($1.92 billion) to Egyptian contractors Elsewedy Electric Ltd and Arab Contractors.
The opening of the diversion channel by President Samia signals a significant momentum in the implementation of the project, with the remaining part being the switching on of the turbines to start generating power later on.
Apart from generating electricity, the project will also help control frequent flooding along River Rufiji and boost tourism since it has been built within the Julius Nyerere National Park where the river traverses.
FM Shoukry delivers Egypt’s speech at the ceremony of impoundment of water in Julius Nyerere dam reservoir. Historic moment attesting to the strength of 🇪🇬🇹🇿relations, in the presence of President of Tanzania, Egyptian Minister of Housing & the 🇪🇬consortium executing the project pic.twitter.com/IOgJ0dQsKs
— Egypt MFA Spokesperson (@MfaEgypt) December 22, 2022
Nimefurahishwa na maendeleo ya ujenzi wa Bwawa la Nyerere ambalo leo Desemba 22 tumeandika historia kwa kuanza kujaza maji kwa ajili ya kuzalisha umeme. Bwawa hili litasaidia kuchagiza kasi ya maendeleo kwa nchi yetu, na naahidi kuendelea kusimamia kwa ukaribu ukamilishaji wake. pic.twitter.com/AZMvpbOpBy
— Samia Suluhu (@SuluhuSamia) December 22, 2022
President Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to launch the filling the dam which has cost Sh6.5 trillion.
The construction of the dam with the capacity 33.2 billion liters of water on the Rufiji River kicked off in 2019 pic.twitter.com/92GV0SBuxD
— TheCitizenTz (@TheCitizenTz) December 21, 2022
Source: The East African
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