What to know about Egyptian-built Julius Nyerere hydropower project in Tanzania

CAIRO – 23 August 2026: The Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project in Tanzania is one of Africa’s largest infrastructure and development projects, with an installed generation capacity of 2,115 megawatts (MW).

Built by an Egyptian consortium, the project is designed to expand Tanzania’s electricity generation capacity while supporting industrial and agricultural development.

What is the Julius Nyerere Project?

The Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant and Dam is located on the Rufiji River in southern Tanzania, within the Selous Game Reserve.

 

The project includes a large dam, a hydropower plant and associated electricity transmission infrastructure.

The project was implemented by an Egyptian consortium comprising Arab Contractors and Elsewedy Electric, with investments of around $2.9 billion.

It is the largest hydropower project in Tanzania’s history and one of the largest infrastructure projects carried out by Egyptian companies in Africa.

What are the main components?

The project centers on a massive concrete dam spanning the Rufiji River.

- Dam length: 1,036 meters

- Dam height: 131 meters

- Reservoir capacity: Around 34 billion cubic meters

- Water outlets: Seven, allowing water flows to be controlled and discharged

- Dam Crest Bridge: A bridge running along the top of the dam and connecting the two banks of the Rufiji River

The project also includes a powerhouse equipped with nine giant hydropower turbines.

Each turbine has a capacity of 235 MW, giving the plant a total installed capacity of 2,115 MW.

 

Electricity generated by the turbines is transferred through a 400-kilovolt switchyard and connected to Tanzania’s national grid through the Chalinze 1 and Chalinze 2 transmission circuits.

Why is the project important for Tanzania?

The project is intended to significantly strengthen Tanzania’s electricity generation capacity and help meet the growing needs of households and productive sectors.

Beyond electricity generation, the reservoir and dam are designed to support broader water-management and development objectives, including:

- Regulating flows in the Rufiji River during periods of flooding

- Reducing the risks associated with floods and waterlogging in surrounding areas

- Storing water for use throughout the year

- Supporting agricultural and fishing activities

- Contributing to the protection of wildlife in the surrounding natural area

- Connecting the generated electricity to the national grid

The project is therefore expected to support Tanzania’s industrial and agricultural development, while strengthening the country’s broader economic growth plans.

Why does the project matter to Egypt?

The project was formally inaugurated by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who represented President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the ceremony.

 

It represents an important example of Egypt-Tanzania development cooperation and Egypt’s broader efforts to support infrastructure and development projects across Africa.

Madbouly has highlighted the project as evidence of the capabilities of Egyptian national companies and their professional teams to execute major projects internationally, particularly in Africa.

A landmark Egypt-Tanzania partnership

The Julius Nyerere project combines large-scale engineering with strategic development objectives.

For Tanzania, it is intended to expand electricity generation and support key productive sectors.

For Egypt, it showcases the capabilities of its construction and energy companies and serves as a prominent example of Egyptian-African development cooperation.

Madbouly said the project supports Egypt’s efforts to advance development across Africa, reaffirming Egypt’s readiness to contribute to development projects in fellow African countries.