News Excerpt
Tanzania has switched on the first turbine of a new hydroelectric plant in the World Heritage Site Selous Game Reserve.
More details on the news:
- The new hydroelectric plant is set to double power generation capacity but has drawn stiff opposition from conservationists because of its location in a U.N.-designated World Heritage Site.
- Before the first turbine of the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Plant was connected to the grid, Tanzania had an installed generation capacity of 1,900 MW, with natural gas contributing nearly two-thirds of that amount.
- The government of Tanzania considers it a key part of efforts to boost power supply in a country where less than half of the population has access to electricity.
- Before construction of the hydro project began in 2019, conservationists warned that building a dam on a major river that runs through the Selous Game Reserve could affect wildlife and their habitats downstream.
- The reserve is among the largest protected areas in Africa, harbouring one of the most significant concentrations of animals including elephant, black rhino and cheetah and a large variety of habitats, according to United Nations agency UNESCO.
