CAIRO — Egypt’s Arab Contractors is currently conducting a feasibility study on the Stiegler's Gorge hydroelectric power station on the Rufiji River in Tanzania after head of Arab Contractors Mohsen Salah announced Oct. 22 that the company had been awarded the design and construction contract of the power station.

Egypt is taking part in the project as part of its plan to support development in the Nile riparian states, and the Tanzanian government deems it as one of the most important national power generation projects.

Presidential spokesman Bassam Radi said that the company’s official announcement came after a telephone call Oct. 21 between Tanzanian President John Magufuli and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. During the call, Magufuli invited Sisi to lay the foundation stone of the Tanzanian dam and supervise the dam similarly to any national project in Egypt. Sisi, according to Radi, said the project will serve as a model of cooperation between African countries.

The Stiegler’s Gorge dam is located on the 600-kilometer-long (373-mile) Rufiji River, which entirely lies within Tanzania. It is expected to generate 2,100 megawatt (MW) and will be of great benefit to Tanzania's energy sector, which currently produces 1,357 MW and covers only 32.8% of the needs of 57.3 million people living in Tanzania.