AfDB wants Kenya-Tanzania line finalised
The African Development Bank (AfDB) wants Kenya and Tanzania to speed up the signing of three key agreements.
Image for illustration purposes.
Kenya/Tanzania: The African Development Bank (AfDB) wants Kenya and Tanzania to speed up the signing of three key agreements.
The agreements are to pave the way for the exchange of excess electricity between the two countries via a Sh43 billion ($309.26 million) line. The three are a wheeling agreement between Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) and Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (Ketraco), a power exchange deal between Kenya Power and Tanesco and a tripartite deal for the maintenance of the interconnected grid.
The countries were expected to complete the 507.5 km line, which runs from the Isinya substation to Arusha through Namanga and which will have a 2000 MW transfer capacity, last month. AfDB is a major financier of the project and said in its latest review that the deals are key to rolling out the regional power trade meant to boost electricity supply and cut reliance on the dirty and costly thermal power in the two countries. Wheeling is the transfer of electricity from an electrical grid to an electrical load outside the grid boundaries using existing distribution or transmission networks.
The construction of the 400 kV line began in 2015, and its completion was uncertain as Ketraco delayed completing its share, around 93 km between Isinya substation and the border town of Namanga, due to hitches in compensating and resettling families along the project area. The line will allow cross-border exchanges of cheap and cleaner surplus power from neighbouring countries in the Eastern Africa Power Pool countries.
Kenya imports hydroelectricity from Ethiopia and Uganda and the supplies have been critical in avoiding power rationing, especially last year when hydro-generation hit record lows on prolonged drought. Tanzania has been forced to ration power in some parts due to low hydro generation.
Source: Zawya
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