Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station

Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station is a facility in Tanzania's Rufiji River Basin that features a 134-meter concrete wall spanning 1,025 meters and nine turbines. The installation channels water through underground passages carved into the rock of a natural gorge.

A German engineer named Stiegler surveyed this gorge in 1901 for possible infrastructure projects. Six years later he was killed here by an elephant, after which the gorge was named in his memory.

The power station construction reflects Tanzania's commitment to industrial development, following the vision of post-independence leader Julius Nyerere for national infrastructure growth.

The facility sits in a remote part of the Rufiji region and is not accessible to visitors during ongoing construction work. Road access to the site requires special permits.

The reservoir will hold 34 billion cubic meters of water, making this the largest hydroelectric facility in East Africa. This volume of water is enough to raise the entire Lake Victoria by several centimeters.

GPS coordinates: -7.80441,37.84900

Latest update: December 20, 2025 00:52