The Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya (ZTK) Power Interconnector Project has officially been relaunched in Lusaka by the three participating governments, with backing from COMESA, the World Bank, the European Union and the United Kingdom.
- •The project aims at linking the East African Power Pool (EAPP) with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), creating one of Africa’s largest power markets.
- •The original concept of the ZTK Interconnector has been replaced by two interconnections between two national grids: the Kenya-Tanzania Interconnection and the Zambia-Tanzania Interconnection.
- •Construction on the Kasama (Zambia) to Mbeya (Tanzania) line is set to begin in January 2026, with contractor and consultant engagement expected by mid-2025.
“The fear of future resource shortages, climate change awareness, and the need to diversify energy sources have brought power trade to the forefront…Energy interconnectivity and increased power production from renewable sources are high-priority action areas in the COMESA region,” COMESA Secretary-General Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe said.
The original concept for the ZTK Interconnector was a high voltage 330 kV transmission line going from Pensulo (Zambia) to Nairobi with three connection points in Tanzania (Mbeya, Singida and Arusha). At that time, Tanzania grid was operated at 220 kV.
The EU committed €4.4 million through COMESA and the Government of Zambia in 2011, facilitating feasibility studies, environmental and social impact assessments, and conceptual designs for the Mbeya–Kabwe section.
When complete, the ZTK project will create a regional transmission corridor that includes Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia.
