India based Kalpataru Power Transmission has secured a contract for the construction of a 132kv electricity transmission line from Tanzania mainland to Zanzibar.
The $9m project is a part of the five-year $698.1m grant extended to Tanzania by the US based Millennium Challenge Corp (MCC).
Autonomous government entity Millennium Challenge Account-Tanzania (MCA-T) is the implementing agency for the MCC grant.
Under the project, the company will construct the overhead transmission line from Ubungo substation to Tegeta and Ras Kiromoni on the shores of the Indian Ocean off the Tanzania Mainland.
The line will be undersea to Ras Fumba in Zanzibar and is transmitted overhead to Mtoni substation in Zanzibar.
Japan-based Viscas will be responsible for the construction of a submarine cable to connect the two overhead lines of the project scheduled to be complete in August 2012, reports theeastafrican.com.
It is expected to boost Zanzibar’s power output by adding to its 40MW dilapidated power transmission infrastructure to meet the growing demand.
MCA-T chief executive officer Bernard Mchomvu said the 100MW second Zanzibar Inter-connector Project will support the existing 45 MW transmission system to the island.
The Symbion Power-Alstom joint venture was awarded the contract for substations rehabilitation and expansion works in six mainland regions in August 2010.
The contract involves construction of 24 substations which include the Ubungo substation, Tegeta sub-station, Mtoni substation, Ras Fumba and Ras Kiromoni Interface Compounds.