Kenya, Tanzania power link gets Sh13bn AfDB loan
What you need to know:
- “It also fulfils the objectives of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) in terms of regional integration and promotion of infrastructure in key productive areas such as energy,” said the director of AfDB’s energy, environment and climate change department, Mr Alex Rugamba.
- The power pools are also expected to enhance reliability and affordability of electricity through cross-border exchanges of cheap and cleaner surplus energy.
A project that would interconnect electricity between Kenya and Tanzania has received Sh13.1 billion loan from the African Development Bank.
The initiative is among others that are set to be undertaken by neighbouring countries to enhance regional trade in electricity with a view to plug supply deficits.
The power pools are also expected to enhance reliability and affordability of electricity through cross-border exchanges of cheap and cleaner surplus energy.
“The project aligns with the pillars of the regional integration strategy papers for Eastern Africa, which focus on regional infrastructure and capacity building.
NEPAD
“It also fulfils the objectives of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) in terms of regional integration and promotion of infrastructure in key productive areas such as energy,” said the director of AfDB’s energy, environment and climate change department, Mr Alex Rugamba.
The Kenya-Tanzania electricity corridor will be extended to Zambia, to link the East African power pool to the Southern Africa one.
Construction of another line between Kenya and Ethiopia, which is expected to hook the East African region to the Northern Africa power pool, is currently at its initial stages.
The Kenya-Tanzania project is expected to create competitiveness in power generation by wooing private investors.
