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The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) has identified an underground electricity transmission cable fault in Gongolamboto, Dar es Salaam, as the cause of recent power supply disruptions affecting Mbagala, Kigamboni, Mkuranga and Kibiti.
Speaking to journalists in Dar es Salaam on November 5, 2026, TANESCO Director of Communications and Customer Services, Irene Gowelle, said the fault occurred on November 3 along a 132-kilovolt (132kV) underground transmission line connecting the Gongolamboto power substation to the Mbagala and Dege substations in Kigamboni.
Gowelle explained that immediately after detecting the fault, TANESCO activated an alternative electricity transmission route to maintain supply to affected customers while technical teams worked to repair the damaged cable.
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However, she noted that the alternative route has limited capacity and cannot meet the full electricity demand at the same time, resulting in intermittent supply challenges in some areas, particularly during daytime when electricity consumption is high.
“We apologise to our customers affected by this disruption. We understand the importance of electricity in people’s daily activities and businesses. Our technical teams are working to repair the fault and restore normal services,” Gowelle said.
TANESCO Deputy Managing Director for Transmission, Engineer Zakaria Mgalama, said the company’s electricity network is designed with alternative transmission routes to ensure that power supply can continue when a fault occurs on one line.
He explained that the affected 132kV transmission line carries electricity from the Gongolamboto substation to the Mbagala and Dege substations, which serve southern parts of Dar es Salaam and neighbouring areas.
Mgalama said technicians and engineers were working around the clock to resolve the problem, expressing optimism that normal electricity supply would be restored within the coming days.
He thanked residents and businesses for their patience and cooperation as repair works continued.
Mgalama also highlighted ongoing government investments aimed at strengthening electricity transmission infrastructure and improving the reliability of power supply across the country.
Among the projects is the construction of a 400kV transmission line from Chalinze to Mkuranga, alongside a 220kV transmission line connecting Pugu to Dundani.
The projects are expected to increase transmission capacity, strengthen the electricity network and improve power supply reliability in southern Dar es Salaam and other areas covered by the infrastructure.
TANESCO said the ongoing repair works, together with investments in new transmission infrastructure, are expected to strengthen the electricity network and reduce the impact of similar disruptions in the future.
