Ethiopia Begins Supplying Power to Tanzania Via Kenya

Ethiopia has officially begun exporting electricity to Tanzania for the first time, transmitting power through Kenya’s high-voltage network in a successful pilot that signals a new era for regional electricity trade.

The Managing Director of the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) announced on his social media page that the trial successfully transmitted electricity from Ethiopia through Kenya’s 400kV Suswa–Isinya transmission line to the Kenya–Tanzania interconnection. The power flow increased the line’s load from 225 megawatts to 262 megawatts, validating the corridor’s operational integrity and confirming seamless cross-border connectivity.

This marks the first instance of Ethiopia’s electricity reaching Tanzania via Kenya’s grid, positioning Ethiopia as a regional power supplier capable of influencing energy markets beyond its immediate borders.

The trial took place under the framework of the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP), a 13-member regional initiative aimed at promoting energy sharing and power reliability across East Africa. Ethiopia, which currently exports around 200 MW to Kenya under a long-term power-purchase agreement, is strengthening its position in regional energy markets thanks to its expanding hydropower capacity

Financing for the transmission infrastructure facilitating this pilot was supported by Kenya’s National Treasury and development partners, including the World Bank, African Development Bank, French Development Agency, and the European Investment Bank. These networks form part of a larger regional plan to interconnect Eastern and Southern Africa’s electricity grids.