Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Dr. Doto Biteko has inspected the 400 kilovolt electricity transmission line project from Chalinze to Zuzu Dodoma and expressed his dissatisfaction with the implementation of the project which should have reached 31 percent but has currently reached 24 percent since its launch in November 2024.
The sluggish state of the project was revealed when, Dr. Biteko inspecting the project in Manchali Village in Chamwino District, Dodoma on August 20, 2025, he instructed the contractor, the Chinese company TBEA, to ensure that he compensates for the lost work time of seven percent so that the project is completed on time due to its importance in the country.
In November 2024, the Government agreed with the contractor that the project should be completed in just 19 months instead of 22 months because when the project was launched, major preliminary works had already been done, including feasibility studies and land acquisition.
“Today, seven months have passed since we launched the project, equivalent to 32 percent of the total time we needed to implement this project, and we expected the project to reach 31 percent, but surprisingly, the project has only reached 24 percent, which is unacceptable.” He said, Dr. Biteko
Dr. Biteko said the reasons given by the Contractor for delaying the project, including the citizens’ strike to provide land for compensation and meeting obstacles in the project development, were unacceptable because the citizens have rights and must be compensated.
As a result, he has ordered the Tanzania Electricity Corporation (TANESCO) to use its own revenue to compensate the citizens who lost the project.
Dr. Biteko said the contractor had been instructed not to carry out the project routinely due to its importance as currently the infrastructure that transports electricity to Dodoma from the Julius Nyerere Project (JNHPP) through the Chalinze station carries a small amount of electricity at only about 240 megawatts which is equivalent to only one machine out of 9 JNHPP machines so the new 400 kV power line being built is important.
He said the new 400 kV power line is important as Dodoma Region’s electricity demand is increasing every day while the region is also the hub for electricity supply in all Western regions including Singida, Tabora, Shinyanga Mara and Kigoma which depends on the stability of electricity in the Region and that, President, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan had already instructed the project not to be tampered with so the Contractor should ensure that he gives it great attention.
Due to the project being behind in implementation, Dr. Biteko has instructed the Contractor to come up with a new work implementation plan including compensation for lost time, where he has given four days for the temporary compensation plan to be submitted to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy.
Dr. Biteko has instructed the contractor to increase the workforce so that the 917 electricity towers that are to be built in the project are built as currently the contractor has dug only about 100 holes for the installation of the towers.
He has also asked the Project Consulting Engineer to ensure that he manages the project effectively and to explain the truth when he sees that it is not going well.
He has also instructed the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Energy, to form a team that will join with TANESCO to manage the project and every week a report should be provided on where it has reached.
In another step, Dr. Biteko has urged the Citizens not to obstruct the implementation of projects when they pass through their areas and the Government on its part will ensure that they get the rights they deserve as the President, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan has already directed that she does not want citizens to be treated unfairly, while her aides are ensuring that the order is implemented.
Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Mrs. Rosemary Senyamule said the 400 kV electricity transmission project is going to make Dodoma the hub of electricity distribution in the country.
She has promised to oversee all the instructions given by Dr. Biteko to ensure that the project is completed on time to enable the electricity that will be delivered to Dodoma to also be distributed to other areas in the country.
TANESCO Managing Director, Mr. Lazaro Twange said the 400 kV electricity transmission line project from Chalinze to Dodoma aims to transport all the electricity generated from the Julius Nyerere Hydroelectric Dam (2,115 Megawatts) and feed it into the National Grid and then deliver it to all areas with electricity needs.
He said the contract with the contractor TBEA company was signed in 2024 and the project will begin implementation in November 2024 where the contractor has been paid the first installment of payment which is 107 billion Tanzanian shillings and the consulting engineer has been paid 15 percent of his payment.
He said all the instructions given by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Energy will be implemented including ensuring that the project is completed in June or before June 2026 in accordance with the contract.
He thanked the Government under the President, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan for providing 513 billion shillings for implementation.
