Kiwira Mine-2 power station

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Kiwira Mine-2 power station is a power station in Mbeya, Tanzania, with multiple units of varying statuses, none of which are currently operating. It is also known as Kiwira Coal to Power Project.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Kiwira Mine-2 power station	Mbeya, Tanzania	-9.485085, 33.670349 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

• Phase II, Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4: -9.485085, 33.670349

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name	Status	Fuel(s)	Capacity (MW)	Technology	Start year
Phase II	Announced	coal: unknown	400	unknown	–
Unit 1	Pre-permit	coal: unknown	50	subcritical	2027 (planned)
Unit 2	Pre-permit	coal: unknown	50	subcritical	2027 (planned)
Unit 3	Pre-permit	coal: unknown	50	subcritical	2027 (planned)
Unit 4	Pre-permit	coal: unknown	50	subcritical	2027 (planned)

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name	Owner	Parent
Phase II	Kiwira Coal and Power Ltd [100%]	Kibo Energy PLC
Unit 1	Kiwira Coal and Power Ltd [100%]	Kibo Energy PLC
Unit 2	Kiwira Coal and Power Ltd [100%]	Kibo Energy PLC
Unit 3	Kiwira Coal and Power Ltd [100%]	Kibo Energy PLC
Unit 4	Kiwira Coal and Power Ltd [100%]	Kibo Energy PLC

Project-level coal details

• Coal source(s): Songwe-Kiwira coalfield

Background

In 2014, the State Mining Corporation (STAMICO), a state-owned corporation of the United Republic of Tanzania, released an expression of interest seeking a joint venture partner to fully finance and help operate a proposed coal and power project at Kiwira. STAMICO has a 25 year license for the Songwe-Kiwira coalfield.

The project goals included:

• Expansion of the existing underground mine from 150,000 tonnes of coal annually to 300,000 tonnes;
• Construction of a new opencast mine to produce 1.2 million tonnes of coal annually;
• Construction of a 200 MW power plant; and
• Construction of a 100km transmission line from the mine site to Mbeya City.

In June 2016, Tanzania's Deputy Energy Minister Medard Kalemani told Parliament that STAMICO would spend US$500 million on a mine and 200 MW coal plant, and that "preparatory work was at an advanced stage." The EIA was submitted. In addition, the plant could be expanded to 400 MW in the future, and Chinese companies were interested in developing the project. In 2015, a senior Chinese government official said Beijing was willing to provide a soft loan for the Kiwira project through its financial institutions.

In August 2021, the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) signed a deal with STAMICO agreeing to construct the power plant, with STAMICO supplying coal for the plant.

In February 2022, Tanzania's Minister of Minerals stated that the Kiwira Coal Mine was set for mass production following a rehabilitation project and would be able to supply coal for 200 MW of power.

According to a 2021-2022 annual report from Tanzania's Controller and Auditor General, the power station was scheduled to be completed by 2027. However, the report stated that as of December 2022, there had been no progress on milestones outlined in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between TANESCO and STAMICO. TANESCO reportedly had not included the Kiwira coal plant as a priority project in its Corporate Strategic Plan.

In August 2023, however, TANESCO published a list of priority power projects that were “to be implemented by June 2025”, and they included a “200 MW Kiwira Coal to Power Project” and a “400 MW Kiwira II Extension Coal to Power Project.” The second phase was to be “executed upon completion of Kiwira Phase 1.”

In STAMICO's 2022/2023 financial report, published in February 2024, the 200 MW coal plant was included as a "prioritized" project.

In July 2024, TANESCO’s list of priority projects still included the 200 MW proposal at Kiwira, and indicated that a feasibility study had been completed. TANESCO was seeking a partner for a public-private partnership and financing of US$437 million for the project.

Articles and Resources

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.