Tanzania will switch off all hydropower plants because of low water levels that have seen electricity generation reduce by 80 per cent, the government said Thursday.

The country has had no option but to take the unprecedented move, according to the Energy and Minerals minister George Simbachawene adding that present water levels are the worst since independence.

Tanzanians will now have to grapple with debilitating power crisis but the government said it will turn on some gas plants in the next two weeks.

“Since we gained independence we have never run out of water to the levels we are seeing today. We must make this most difficult decision of completely switching off the hydropower plants,” Mr Simbachawene stated.  He said some power dams were in the brink of totally drying up.

The country's current power consumption is 870 megawatts but production capacity recorded as of Wednesday stood at 105 megawatts. The capacity can go up to 135 Megawatts when some generators are switched on.

He said given the current situation, power shedding was unavoidable.

The minister pointed out that Kidatu hydropower generation had now gone down from 204 to 27 megawatts, Mtera (from 80 to 9), Kihansi (from 180 to 45) and Pangani (from 68 to 25).

He said the government had been forced to find alternative electricity supply to cushion the shortage of power.

He said that the Kinyerezi gas plant will produce 70 Megawatts to go into the national grid.

READ: Gas for electricity

He added that low water levels in power dams including Kapunga and Mtera dams, were mainly caused by irrigation in rice plantations, saying there will come a time the country will have to decide to close down the plantations for reliable power.

Tanesco switches off Mtera plant

Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) has decided to switch off its major Mtera hydropower plant after water levels needed to run the plant went down drastically.

The current water level is 687.53 metres from sea level as one needed to efficiently run the plant.

Speaking to reporters at the plant, Mtera plant manager, Mr Abdallah Ikwasa, said the facility has been switched off  for more than a week.

“We have decided to switch it off so that our power generators remain safe. This is because if we switch it on at this low level, air will flow into the generators, something which is sure to damage them.

“We don’t expect to switch them until when the rains start falling, that’s why the government has decided to start counting on gas generated  electricity and fuel turbines since water is not a permanently reliable source,” said Mr Ikwasa while showing the reporters how the water levels had gone down.

He said when the Mtera Dam is producing at its full capacity of 698.5 metres, it can provide 80MW which are transmitted directly to the national grid.

-The Citizen