Africa is attracting massive investment in its energy sector as countries look to boost their economies.
Many African states possess high potential resources for hydropower, as well as solar and wind.
As part of the Sustainable Africa Scenario plan, total electricity sector investment is expected to increase fourfold from just under USD 30 billion (£23bn) to more than USD 120 billion (£92bn) by 2030.
Around half of that investment will go towards renewable energy production.
One country already benefitting from this new emphasis on green energy is Tanzania.
The country commissioned the construction of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant And Dam in 2018.
The plant is nearing completion and will be able to produce 5,920-gigawatt hours of power annually through its nine turbines.
It will provide clean energy to over 60 million Tanzanians, boosting the country’s economic fortunes.
The project also includes a 1025-metre-long dam with 34 billion cubic metres storage capacity.
When completed, the dam will be the fourth largest in Africa and ninth in the world and the biggest power station in East Africa.
The Egyptian companies Arab Contractors and El Sewedy Electric have been responsible for the project’s construction, estimated to cost a whopping £7.6 billion.
The project is not without its controversies, with many fearing its impact on the surrounding environment.
One obvious concern is the gorge’s location in the middle of the Selous Game Reserve World Heritage Site.
The dam will flood over 2.2% of the reserve’s total area, roughly equivalent to the size of Andorra, reducing its forest and riverine habitat.
Additionally, the dam will change the seasonal river pattern and withhold sediment.
It will create a more constant hydrological discharge, reducing the wet season flood and undermining the river’s ecological irrigating and fertilising services.
