The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) started a partnership with the Tanzanian government in 2008 to reduce poverty in Tanzania by investing nearly $700 million in energy, roads, and water-sector projects. About $200 million of this funding was devoted to the energy-sector.

Mathematica evaluated three energy project activities and a related initiative. The line-extensions activity involved extending grid electricity lines to about 337 communities across seven regions of Tanzania. The financing scheme initiative offered low-cost electricity connections to customers in a random subset of the communities selected to receive new lines. The Kigoma solar activity improved access to solar power in a number of communities in the Kigoma region of Western Tanzania. Finally, the Zanzibar cable activity involved laying a new submarine cable to provide a more reliable source of electricity to Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar.