Tanzania recently connected its first utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant to the national electricity grid. The 50 MW solar PV project, located in the Shinyanga region, has reached full grid connection and is expected to generate approximately 72 000 MWh of electricity annually. The plant is part of the first phase of a larger solar development planned for the area and expected to reach 150 MW when fully completed.
The project represents Tanzania’s first large-scale, grid-connected solar facility and is intended to support electricity supply to surrounding industrial and mining regions while strengthening the country’s renewable energy capacity.
Solar modules for the project were supplied by JinkoSolar. According to JinkoSolar, the plant will contribute to reducing carbon emissions by an estimated 57 000 t per year.
Tanzania’s electricity system has historically been dominated by hydropower and natural gas generation but the country has been exploring solar development to improve supply reliability and reduce vulnerability to hydrological variability.
