Tanzania energy mix & electricity
Power plants in Tanzania produced 8.8 TWh of electricity in 2024. Natural gas dominates the mix with 62.8%, followed by hydropower at 31.7% and oil at 4.3%.
Electricity generation by source in 2024
Share of electricity generation by source, with the change in percentage points over the last ten years.
| Source | TWh | Share | 10-yr Δ pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas | 5.55 | 62.8% | +20.8 |
| Hydro | 2.8 | 31.7% | −9.7 |
| Oil | 0.38 | 4.3% | −11 |
| Bioenergy | 0.07 | 0.8% | −0.2 |
| Solar | 0.04 | 0.5% | +0.1 |
| Total | 8.84 | 100% |
Tanzania: electricity in context
Power plants in Tanzania produced 8.8 TWh of electricity in 2024. That puts it in the same league as Lithuania. Natural gas dominates the mix with 62.8%, followed by hydropower at 31.7% and oil at 4.3%.
Renewables supplied 32.9% of the electricity, which ranks Tanzania 85th of 158 countries. That is almost exactly the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Africa (24.7%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 345 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. That makes the grid somewhat cleaner than the world average. In the cleanest-grid ranking, Tanzania is 71st of 158.
Since 2014, the fastest-growing source has been natural gas: its output rose by 2.9 TWh, lifting its share by 20.8 percentage points. The biggest decline came from oil (−580 GWh). Taken together, the renewable share fell by 9.7 percentage points over the decade. Total generation grew by 2.6 TWh over the same period. Carbon intensity, however, rose from 316 to 345 g/kWh (+9%).
Wind and solar have barely started in Tanzania: combined, they produce less than 1% of the power.
Generation per person is 129 kWh a year, 3% of the world average of 3,860 kWh. Tanzania is a net importer of electricity, buying 190 GWh more than it sells, about 2% of its demand.
How the power mix has changed
Electricity generation by source since 2000. Switch to shares to see the structural shift independent of demand growth.
Renewables and carbon intensity
Tanzania against the world and Africa averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Per person, that is 1,199 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in Tanzania
The 11 power plants recorded in Tanzania add up to 1 GW of capacity, 56% of it Hydro. The largest is Ubungo Gas (Songas) at 208 MW. The database was last updated in 2021, so newer wind and solar farms and rooftop PV are under-represented.
Largest power plants
| # | Plant | Fuel | Capacity MW | Commissioned | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ubungo Gas (Songas) | Gas | 208 | — | Tanzania Electric Supply Company |
| 2 | Kidatu | Hydro | 204 | 1975 | Tanzania Electric Supply Company |
| 3 | Kihansi | Hydro | 180 | 1999 | Tanzania Electric Supply Company |
| 4 | IPTL Tanzania | Oil | 100 | — | IPPs |
| 5 | Mtera | Hydro | 80 | 1980 | Tanzania Electric Supply Company |
| 6 | Pangani Falls | Hydro | 68 | 1995 | Tanzania Electric Supply Company |
| 7 | Nyakato | Gas | 63 | 2012 | Tanzania Electric Supply Company |
| 8 | Tegeta | Gas | 45 | — | Tanzania Electric Supply Company |
| 9 | Hale | Hydro | 21 | — | Tanzania Electric Supply Company |
| 10 | Mtwara | Gas | 18 | — | Tanzania Electric Supply Company |
| 11 | Nyumba ya Mungu | Hydro | 8 | 1966 | Tanzania Electric Supply Company |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 11 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: Tanzania
26 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 159 MW of solar and 0 MW of wind operating, plus 4.2 GW under construction or planned.
How does Tanzania compare?
Tanzania next to 6 neighbouring countries, plus regional and world averages. Click a column to sort; use “Compare” for full side-by-side charts.
| Country | Renewable % | Low-carbon % | Fossil % | gCO₂/kWh | kWh / person | Generation TWh | Mix | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanzania | 32.9% | 32.9% | 67.1% | 345 | 129 | 8.8 | — | |
| Malawi | 95.6% | 95.6% | 4.4% | 55 | 85 | 1.8 | Compare | |
| Kenya | 90% | 90% | 10% | 95 | 244 | 14 | Compare | |
| Uganda | 97.1% | 97.1% | 2.9% | 59 | 116 | 5.8 | Compare | |
| Zambia | 87.5% | 87.5% | 12.5% | 120 | 925 | 19.7 | Compare | |
| DR Congo | 100% | 100% | 0% | 28 | 146 | 15.9 | Compare | |
| Mozambique | 83.4% | 83.4% | 16.6% | 129 | 571 | 19.8 | Compare | |
| Africa average | 24.7% | 25.5% | 74.5% | 544 | 635 | 962 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for Tanzania
Tanzania energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in Tanzania is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in Tanzania?
How clean is the electricity in Tanzania?
Does Tanzania have nuclear power?
How much electricity does Tanzania use per person?
How much solar power does Tanzania produce?
Does Tanzania import electricity?
More countries in Africa
Sources & references
- Our World in Data: Energy dataset (CC BY 4.0) — compiled from the sources below
- Ember: Yearly Electricity Data — generation, shares, carbon intensity
- Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy — primary energy, fossil production
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Data — gap-filling for smaller countries
- World Resources Institute: Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0) — power plant locations and capacity
Electricity data: Ember and Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0); latest year 2024. Power plants: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). Rankings exclude systems under 1 TWh and values older than 2020. Figures may be revised by the original publishers.