The United Republic of Tanzania has temporarily shut down five of its hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
NaijaOnPoint.com.ng (NOP) reports Tanzania’s Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa made this known on Wednesday.
Majaliwa said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station has alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
The surplus electricity production comes at a time the East African country is grappling with extreme weather conditions, which have led to significant loss of life and damage in neighbouring countries like Kenya.
In Tanzania, the heavy rains have also been linked to at least 58 fatalities.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,“ an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115 MW Julius Nyerere hydropower dam is said to be almost full with water, following heavy rains that started early this year.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.