Ethiopia has announced a significant increase in its electricity generation capacity from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), positioning itself to begin supplying power to Tanzania by September 2024.
The country’s power generation has more than doubled, signaling a milestone in the dam’s development.
Asheber Balcha, CEO of Ethiopian Electric Power, revealed that two additional turbines were recently brought boosting the dam’s total electricity output to 1,550 megawatts.
Previously, the dam’s first two turbines were generating 375 megawatts each. The newly operational turbines will each contribute 400 megawatts, further enhancing Ethiopia’s energy export potential.
The construction of GERD, Africa’s largest dam, began in March 2011 on the Nile River, sparking disputes with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan.
The dam, which commenced its initial power generation in 2019, has cost over 90 billion birr and is expected to be fully operational within the next year, ultimately generating over 5,000 megawatts of electricity.
In addition to GERD, Ethiopia is nearing the completion of several other power projects, including the Koisha Hydroelectric Power Plant, the Aisha and Asela Wind Power Plants, and the Aluto Geothermal Power Station.
These projects are part of Ethiopia’s broader strategy to enhance its energy infrastructure and export capacity.
For the fiscal year 2024, Ethiopia aims to generate $181 million from electricity exports, having already secured $140 million.
The country currently supplies electricity to Kenya, Djibouti, and Sudan, with exports increasing from the previous year.
In a recent development, Ethiopia has finalized an agreement to supply 400 megawatts of electricity to Tanzania, beginning in September 2024.
This agreement follows Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s visit to Tanzania six months ago, where he signed the deal with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
In the recently completed fiscal year, Ethiopian Electric Power reported earnings of 20 billion birr from electricity sales to both foreign countries and domestic customers.
However, the institution also faced losses amounting to 817 million birr due to security issues and infrastructure theft.
This expansion in electricity exports marks a significant step in Ethiopia’s efforts to become a regional energy hub, leveraging its growing power generation capacity to foster economic ties with neighboring countries.
