Egypt, Tanzania gear up to celebrate 1st filling of giant hydropower dam

CAIRO – 21 December 2022: Egypt and Tanzania are gearing up to celebrate the first filling of the giant hydropower dam of Julius Nyerere, which is being constructed along the Rufiji River by an Egyptian consortium and thousands of workers including Egyptians.

The ambitious project of Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station has a capacity of 2,115 MW an is set to become the largest in East Africa and Africa’s fourth largest.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Minister of Housing Assem El-Gazzar headed to Tanzania to celebrate the first filling of the dam’s reservoir.

“We join the Tanzanian state’s leadership, government and people in their celebration of this very important event for our brothers in Tanzania,” a statement by the Egyptian Housing Ministry read.

Mega project, huge cooperation

The mega dam, whose construction began in 2019, is being carried out by the Egyptian consortium of Arab Contractors and El Sewedy Electric at a cost of $2.9 billion.

The project aims at providing Tanzania with required power and controlling the Rufiji River flood.

Cooperation between the two countries to implement the project “confirms the Egyptian companies’ ability in implementing mega projects, especially for our brothers in the African continent,” the statement said.

 

Filling the dam’s reservoir

This month, Tanzania will start filling the dam’s reservoir, the ministry said.

Water level behind the dam is set to reach 163 meters at a capacity of 13.5 billion cubic meters by April 2023, according to hydrological studies, which vary annually according to the expected amounts of rain.

The water level at the lake will reach its maximum by June 2024 at 184 meters with a capacity of 34 billion cubic meters.

The project includes establishing a dam on the Rufiji River at a height of 134 meters with seven gates for water and at capacity of around 34 billion cubic meters.

The project also includes a hydropower station with a capacity of 2,115 MW beside the Rufiji River in the Selous Game Reserve west of Dar Es-Salam City.

The electricity generated via the 400kV high voltage power line will be transferred to a substation where the electricity will be integrated into the country’s national electricity grid.