The Zanzibar Electricity Corporation (ZECO) has announced three scheduled electricity interruptions in Unguja this month to allow major maintenance work on the undersea cables that supply the island with power from mainland Tanzania. The maintenance is necessary to address faults in the two main undersea electricity cables and improve the reliability of power supply to Zanzibar. ZECO General Manager Haji Mohamed Haji said the work will involve technical repairs to the cable infrastructure.
The first interruption took place on Saturday, November 14, affecting the entire island of Unguja from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Two further interruptions are scheduled for November 15 and November 22, also from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but these will be limited to urban areas of Unguja. Residents and businesses in the affected locations have been advised to plan for the temporary interruption. ZECO apologized for the inconvenience and said the work was necessary to support the continued and reliable provision of electricity to the island.
Zanzibar receives electricity from mainland Tanzania through two submarine cables, one installed in 1980 and the other in 2015. Both cables require major maintenance to address existing faults and support a more reliable electricity supply. The electricity supply from mainland Tanzania will need to be switched off during the scheduled maintenance, resulting in the announced interruptions.
The outages will be implemented in collaboration with the Tanzania National Electric Supply Company (TANESCO), which is responsible for switching off the mainland supply to allow the scheduled work to proceed. ZECO, meanwhile, is responsible for the electricity service on the islands and has communicated the outage schedule to consumers.
The first outage on November 14 affected all of Unguja, while the two subsequent dates will affect only the island's urban areas. ZECO has assured consumers that the maintenance work will improve the reliability of power supply to Zanzibar. The work will address faults in the two main undersea electricity cables.
ZECO's announcement was made through a public notice dated November 13. The notice informed consumers of the scheduled interruptions and advised them to plan accordingly. The maintenance work is expected to be completed by the end of November.
The power outages are a necessary measure to ensure a reliable electricity supply to Zanzibar. ZECO's maintenance work will improve the overall efficiency of the island's power supply system. The corporation has apologized for any inconvenience caused and appreciates the public's understanding.
Key points
- ZECO announces three planned power outages in Unguja for undersea cable maintenance.
