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Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) has successfully undertaken preventive maintenance on the 220-kilovolt transmission line from the Chalinze substation to Kinyerezi in Dar es Salaam without interrupting power supply.
The exercise involved replacing insulators that had shown defects during routine inspections. Traditionally, such maintenance would require a shutdown of the line, causing power interruptions to communities along the route.
Speaking during the exercise on Thursday, September 4, 2025, Tanesco transmission engineer Philemon Tirukaizile said the live-line technology had eliminated the inconvenience of outages during scheduled maintenance.
“Without this technology, we would have been forced to switch off the line for about six hours. That would have meant customers from Chalinze through Mlandizi to Kibaha experiencing a power cut,” he explained.
The live-line method, which requires highly trained personnel, is increasingly being deployed by the utility to improve the reliability of electricity supply across the country.
Coast Region transmission team supervisor, Mr Sadiki Sadiki, noted that the procedure is carried out with strict adherence to safety protocols.
“Before starting, we communicate with our colleagues at the substation for clearance. A team leader then coordinates the technicians, assigning tasks step by step to ensure maximum safety,” he said.
One of the technicians, Ms Bahati Ramadhani, said she acquired the expertise through specialised training within the company.
“Tanesco has built my skills. I first trained on the 400-kilovolt line from the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, and the training is ongoing. It is our pride to ensure customers have power at all times,” she said.
The maintenance is part of Tanesco’s wider efforts to modernise its infrastructure and ensure a stable power supply in line with the government’s drive to support industrialisation and economic growth.
