Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, gave the green light to the closure of the diversion tunnel at the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP), redirecting the Rufiji River back to its mainstream through the lower gates of the Julius Nyerere Dam and starting the first fill of the dam’s reservoir, Invest-Gate reports.

The closure of the tunnel comes after the completion of the water-impounding works by a joint venture between the Arab Contractors and Elsewedy Electric.

The 34-bn cubic-meter reservoir will be created by the surplus water of the annual average river discharge, which exceeds an average of 28 bn cubic meters.

The reservoir will cover a catchment area of 158,000 sqm, including a variety of springs, streams, and tributaries.

The Arab Contractors-Elsewedy JV completes the main dam’s rolled compacted concrete (RCC) works with a maximum height of 190 meters above sea level, on a 20,000 sqm foundation area, and a 1,033-meter crest.

The consortium demolished the cofferdams upstream and downstream of the main dam last week, while the installation of the large Francis vertical turbines is being conducted for the production of around 6,307 gigawatt-hour of energy.

The installation and testing of nine hydro-turbines are planned to take place gradually as of 2023. The hydro-turbines will be connected to Tanzania’s 400-kilovolt national power grid.

On a similar note, Assem El-Gazzar, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities arrives in Tanzania to participate in the celebration of the first filling of the reservoir of Julius Nyerere Dam and Hydroelectric Power Station.