The current power crisis is costing Tanzania between 450,000 U.S. dollars and 1.03 million dollars per day, according to a World Bank estimate.

Local newspaper The Citizen on Saturday quoted World Bank experts as saying that the cost to the country's economy as a whole due to the delay of emergency electricity generation is huge.

Tanzania is facing an electricity generation deficit of 234 megawatts, as the current maximum power demand in the country during peak hours ranges from 530 megawatts to 580 megawatts but Tanzania now only generates 346 megawatts during peak hours.

Electricity users in the country, both domestic and industrial, have their power supply cut off for half a day on Monday to Friday every week since mid-September.

The current power crisis in Tanzania started more than nine months ago when the lack of rain during the last rainy season had caused water levels at the country's major hydropower dams to drop and forced the shut-down of key hydropower generation at Mtera and Kidatu twice in the period.

Tanesco, Tanzania's sole electricity supplier, has been resorting to load shedding and harsh power rationing schemes to cope with the crisis.

The Tanzanian government and Tanesco have been striving to purchase emergency natural gas-fired turbine-driven generators to make up the gap.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete said in his latest televised address to the nation this week that the power blues are to continue though he did not specify how many more months to go before power supplies become normal in the country.

Source: Xinhua