Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Dam Electrification PROJECT (JNHPP) has been completed by 78.68 percent while the stage of closing the water diversion gate has been completed with the aim of allowing water to be filled in the dam ready for electricity to start being produced.

The move will be followed by turning on the plants after the dam is full, a move expected to take two rainy seasons.

The dam is expected to be completed and start production in June 2024.

It will cost Shs 6.5 trillion until its completion.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected tomorrow to launch the step to start filling the dam with a size of 32.3 cubic meters, an event that will be held in the area of ​​the project, Rufiji in the Coast region.

Speaking about the launch, the Minister of Energy, Januari Makamba told journalists that in implementing the project, there have been periods with various steps being implemented and water filling is the most important step of all.

"As you know that this project has a life and in its life there are milestones, various stations that are reached at intervals that are important, right now we have reached the greatest success since we started construction and that is filling the water in the dam," he said.

Makamba said President Samia will press a button that will lower the gates that will block the water diversion and allow water to enter the dam.

"We are happy and proud to announce that we have reached that stage and due to the size and importance of that stage and the symbol of the project for the development of the country, this stage will be launched by the President (Samia) on December 22 this year," he said.

He said earlier when building an embankment to allow the storage of water in the dam, it was necessary to divert the water to the other side in order to remain dry, a work that was done three years ago at a cost of Shs 235 billion.

He said at that stage a tunnel with a length of 700 meters was made which enabled the construction of an embankment to help the storage of water in the dam which has been completed and the gates to block the diversion of water have been closed in the area concerned and allow the water to be filled.

"For that event, the water will officially begin to fill the dam," he said.

The event will be attended by various government leaders, political parties and citizens expected to reach 2,000.

There will also be a delegation of 300 people from the Egyptian Government led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of that country which is where the contractors of the project come from.

Makamba said that the move will not prevent the water of the Rufiji river from going to the other side for other ecological uses and for other people due to the design of the project.

He said that the project has many benefits, including agriculture because it will prevent floods that were causing crop damage earlier and from now on the water that will go down to the farmers will be controlled and reach the appropriate level.

The project is expected to produce 2,115 megawatts that will add power to the 1,500 megawatts produced by various current sources and eliminate the problem of electricity shortage in the country.

The increase of 2,115 megawatts will enable Tanzania to be self-sufficient in its electricity needs and have a surplus to be sold to neighboring countries in parallel with reducing electricity costs for Tanzanians.