Tanzania launched the construction of the 2,115MW hydropower plant over Rufiji River, defying revolt by wildlife and nature conservationists about the “desecration” of the Selous Game Reserve, a Unesco Heritage Site.
President John Magufuli established the foundation stone for the Rufiji Hydropower Project (RHPP) at Stiegler’s Gorge, and told off the lobbies conflicting the project, which he accused of seeking to benefit from hunting and accommodation businesses inside the reserve.
“Today we save the people of Tanzania from lack of power. Our envisaged industrial economy needs reasonable, cheap and reliable power supply through hydrogeneration.”
The RHPP will cost $1.38 billion (Tsh6.5 trillion) and is set to be achieved in 2022.
JV Arab Contractors Company based in Cairo along with the El Sewedy Electric, an Egyptian engineering firm, achieved the tender to implement the project.
In January, Germany’s parliament raised affair over the Stiegler’s Gorge hydropower project asking their government to search alternative ways of assisting Tanzania to produce much-needed electricity.
Members of the German Parliament said in an argument over a bill that the project would jeopardise the Selous Game Reserve’s status as a World Heritage Site.
Germany is the leading investor in various conservation projects, including anti-poaching operations in Selous Game Reserve.
The largest project is part of Tanzania's power master plan, which envisions Stiegler’s Gorge supporting interconnect the grids of Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia.
The dam will be fourth largest in Africa and ninth in the world.