Challenges in Small Hydropower Development in Tanzania: Rural Electrification Perspective

The natural topographic features of Tanzania provide the country with ample opportunity for hydropower resources in the magnitude of 4.7 GW in total, with only 10 % tapped. Albeit abundance of small hydro resources in most parts of the remote areas of Tanzania, the rural areas of the country remain virtually un-electrified. Earlier approach to rural electricity supply was to extend the national grid network and implementation of isolated diesel-based electric networks. The extant rural electrification approach is based on drawing energy from diverse sources, of which small hydro is the major potential source. In the midst of the rising importance of harnessing small hydropower (SHP), the government has funded countrywide inventory of small hydro potentials for the purpose of updating the SHP directory of resources of the country. The central government, local government, private investors, and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have keen interest in the information, specifically the sizes and geographical distribution of SHP in the country, which the catalogue provides. The just concluded national Rural Electrification Master Plan (2005) was largely extent enriched by the existing SHP directory. This paper aims at presenting the existing information on SHP resources in Tanzania and highlighting challenges associated with SHP development, in the context of rural electrification