Dar es Salaam. The government plans to increase electricity generation capacity to 8,000 megawatts by 2030 and begin producing 40 million cubic feet of natural gas daily from the Victoria block early next year.
Energy Minister Juma Homera announced the plans on Sunday, October 18, 2026, saying the government was expanding power generation, transmission infrastructure and gas exploration to meet rising demand from households and industries.
‘The expectation is to begin gas production early next year, with 40 million cubic feet a day,’ he said, referring to preparations to drill a production well and install gas-processing equipment in the Victoria block.
He said the additional gas would support industrial investment, electricity generation and manufacturing.
Exploration is continuing in the Wembele, Lindi-Mtwara, western Songo Songo, northern Mnazi Bay and Mtoria blocks. Seismic data collection in the EAS Wembele and Lindi-Mtwara blocks is expected to be completed in December 2026. In Mnazi Bay, the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation and investor M and P have completed drilling three wells, two for development and one for exploration.
The government also plans to announce newly discovered gas volumes at an event in Msimbati on October 26 and 27 to attract further investment.
Construction of a 35-kilometre gas pipeline from Ntoria to Madimba is 70 percent complete and expected to finish in December.
On electricity, Dr Homera said installed generation capacity had reached 4,646MW, supported by hydropower, natural gas and solar energy, including the 50MW Kishapu solar project.
A further 100MW solar project is under construction at Kishapu, while projects with a combined capacity of 600MW are at various stages of assessment and discussion.
‘By 2030, we must have generation capacity of 8,000 megawatts,’ he said, adding that the target was also reflected in the National Development Vision 2050.
Peak electricity demand has exceeded 2,400MW, driven partly by industrial expansion and new investments.
Transmission projects include the completed Chalinze-Dodoma line. The Iringa-Tunduma-Sumbawanga project is expected to be switched on in November, while the Chalinze-Kinyerezi-Mkuranga line is scheduled to become operational in February 2027.
Dr Homera said Tanzania had sufficient electricity to meet current needs and export power, but was exploring geothermal and additional hydropower sources to diversify generation.