Tanzania and France Advance Second Phase of Kishapu Solar Project
On Monday, Tanzania’s Energy Minister Deogratius Ndejembi met with officials from the French Ministry of Finance, the French Development Agency (AFD) and engineering firm SAGECOM at the Tanzanian Embassy in Paris. The discussion centred on launching the second phase of the Kishapu solar energy project, a 100‑megawatt (MW) photovoltaic installation slated for the Kishapu district in Tanzania’s Shinyanga region.
Project Background
The Kishapu solar initiative forms part of Tanzania’s broader strategy to diversify its power mix and increase access to reliable electricity, especially in underserved rural areas. The first phase, completed in 2022, delivered an initial 30 MW of solar capacity, supplying power to more than 150 000 households and reducing reliance on diesel‑generated electricity in the region.
According to the Tanzanian Ministry of Energy, the full 100 MW plant is expected to generate roughly 180 gigawatt‑hours (GWh) of electricity annually—enough to meet the average yearly consumption of about 250 000 Tanzanian homes. The project also aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, which targets a 10 % share of renewable energy in the national grid by 2030.
Key Points from the Paris Meeting
- Continued French support: Minister Ndejembi thanked the French government and AFD for their ongoing partnership, noting that previous financing had helped lower the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) for solar in Tanzania to approximately US$0.06 kWh⁻¹.
- Technical readiness: SAGECOM presented a detailed engineering plan for the second phase, which will add an additional 70 MW of solar panels, battery storage units capable of providing up to 20 MW of firm capacity, and upgraded transmission infrastructure to connect the plant to the national grid.
- Financial framework: AFD Managing Director Sandra Kassab confirmed that the agency is preparing a concessional loan package of roughly €80 million, complemented by a grant component aimed at capacity‑building for local technicians and community outreach programmes.
- Monitoring and accountability: Both sides agreed to establish a joint steering committee that will meet quarterly to track progress against milestones, environmental safeguards, and social impact indicators.
Implications for Tanzania’s Energy Landscape
The successful rollout of the Kishapu solar project’s second phase is expected to deliver several tangible benefits:
- Increased grid stability in the Shinyanga region, reducing the frequency of load‑shedding events that have historically affected small businesses and agricultural processing.
- Job creation: the construction phase is projected to employ over 1 200 local workers, while operations and maintenance will sustain roughly 150 long‑term positions.
- Environmental gains: displacing an estimated 120 000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, equivalent to removing roughly 26 000 passenger cars from Tanzanian roads.
- Knowledge transfer: training programmes led by SAGECOM and AFD will equip Tanzanian engineers with skills in solar farm design, battery management, and grid integration—capabilities that can be replicated in future renewable projects across the country.
Experts from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) note that scaling solar to utility‑scale levels, as Tanzania is doing with Kishapu, can cut the average cost of electricity by up to 30 % in regions where diesel generators dominate. Such cost reductions are critical for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7—affordable, clean energy for all.
Looking Ahead
Both Tanzanian and French officials expressed optimism that the second phase will be commissioned by the end of 2026, pending finalisation of financing agreements and procurement timelines. Subsequent phases could explore hybrid solar‑wind configurations or expand storage capacity to further enhance renewable penetration.
As Tanzania continues to pursue its Vision 2025 development objectives, partnerships like the one demonstrated in Paris underscore the importance of international collaboration, technical expertise, and targeted financing in turning ambitious renewable energy plans into measurable outcomes on the ground.
