Ethiopia has launched a successful pilot program, which has begun exporting electricity to Tanzania for the first time, delivering power through Kenya’s high-voltage transmission network. This marks an important milestone for the regional exchange of energy.
The trial transmitted electricity from Ethiopia to the Kenya–Tanzania interconnector via Kenya’s 400kV Suswa–Isinya line, the Managing Director of Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) said on social media. The line’s load grew from 225 megawatts to 262 megawatts due to the power flow, proving the corridor’s dependability and seamless cross-border communication.
Ethiopia has become a new regional power provider with expanding influence outside of its borders, as a result of the first time Ethiopian electricity has made its way to Tanzania through Kenya’s infrastructure.
The Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP), a 13-member effort aimed at fostering energy sharing and improving power reliability throughout East Africa, served as the basis for the trial. As its hydroelectric capacity grows, Ethiopia, which now supplies Kenya with about 200 MW under a long-term deal, is solidifying its place in regional markets.
Kenya’s National Treasury, in collaboration with development partners like the World Bank, African Development Bank, French Development Agency, and European Investment Bank, contributed funding for the transmission infrastructure that made this trial possible. These connections are part of larger efforts to connect the electrical grids in Eastern and Southern.
