Tanzania’s Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa, has announced the closure of five hydroelectric stations to manage excess electricity in the national grid.
The main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone has produced enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low, and the electricity production is too much; we have no allocation now,” stated an official from the state-run power company, Tanesco.
The 2,115 MW Julius Nyerere hydropower dam is almost full due to heavy rains that began earlier this year. However, a current spell of extreme weather has led to at least 58 deaths in Tanzania and devastated other East African nations like Kenya.
This marks the first time Tanzania, which suffers from chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
