Zambia, Tanzania Resume Power Link

Key Figures & Findings: Zambia is restarting construction of the $320 million Zambia–Tanzania Interconnector Project (ZTIP), a 620-km, 400kV double-circuit transmission line connecting Kabwe (Zambia) to Iringa and Sumbawanga (Tanzania). Co-financed by the World Bank (€245 million), European Union (€30 million), and the UK (€18 million), this strategic regional project aims to strengthen energy ties and support growing electricity trade across Southern and East Africa. The interconnection will help balance grid demand and leverage Tanzania’s emerging power surplus from the 2,115 MW Julius Nyerere hydropower project.

Insights: The ZTIP is expected to be completed by 2028 and will enable smoother electricity exchanges between the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP). The transmission line will become a backbone for regional integration and a critical route linking Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania to Southern Africa via Zambia.

Future Implications: By 2028, the project could significantly reduce electricity costs, improve power reliability in Southern Tanzania, and position Tanzania as a regional trade hub for cross-border electricity flows. It will also unlock large-scale investment opportunities in interconnected power infrastructure across sub-Saharan Africa.

Source: Green Building Africa​