Tanzanian authorities last month signed a $3billion deal with an Egyptian company to build the Stiegler’s Gorge hydroelectric project that is more than double the country’s power generation capacity.

Tanzanian President John Magufuli and Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnessed the deal personally between the government of Tanzania and Egyptian state-owned Arab Contractors in the business capital Dar es Salaam.

After the deal was signed President Magufuli spoke again on his dismissal of environmental concerns saying the project will instead be eco-friendly. He said only a small fraction of the Selous Game Reserve, a world heritage site, would be utilized to build the proposed hydropower dam.

15 percent of funds were already available which had to be paid to the contractor, and the hydropower was cheaper than any other kind of energy sources, Magufuli said.

Magufuli further added the project will generate 2,115 megawatts which was more than all electricity generated from all other sources in the east African country which currently stood at 1,560 megawatts.

Egyptian Prime Minister mentioned the project was a symbol of his country’s commitment to supporting Tanzania in development. He then added “We believe that this project will be another opportunity to open a new chapter in the relations between the two countries”.

The project has attracted intense scrutiny with conservationists both at home and abroad calling for a comprehensive strategic environmental evalution before it is implemented in the Selous Game Reserve.

Magufuli very strongly had cleared that his government sees the project as a game changer in its industrialization drive by promising to provide cheap and abundant electricity to the energy-starved nation.

Famous for its elephants, black rhinos and giraffes, the Selous Game Reserve covers 50,000 square kilometers and is one of the largest protected areas in Africa.