የዓባይ፡ልጅ - እስሌማን ዓባይ About 7 out of every 10 Ethiopians are not connected to the power grid, making it one of the world’s least connected countries.
Ethiopia believes that greater electricity production will bring with it prosperity and it has realised the completion of the third round water filling of the GERD, which will allow Ethiopia become a power hub for the region.
When completed in 2024, the dam will power the African economies with over 6000 megawatts of power. So that, the electricity generated by GERD will eventually flow to some of the world’s poorest countries, through the corridor, connecting East African and Southern African Power Pools.
The north-South power transmission Corridor will be a 8000KM line stretching from Egypt through Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia & Zimbabwe to South Africa to transport energy generated by the Great Renaissance Dam.
Today, Ethiopia exports electricity to Sudan, Djibouti and Kenya, also building a series of transmission lines that will allow it to connect with the rest of the countries of the East African pool.
Eastern African Power Pool EAPP is the centerpiece of Ethiopia’s bid to become Africa’s biggest power exporter. Cheap, renewable electricity will be provided by to 9 African countries.
The Ethiopia-Kenya Electricity Highway Project, also known as the Eastern Electricity Highway Project, a construction of a 1,045km-long transmission interconnection line(with a power transportation capacity of 2000 MW) has been completed,
And the North-South power transmission Corridor will be a 8,000 kilometre line stretching from Egypt through Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe to South Africa to transport energy generated by the Great Renaissance Dam.
The corridor will connect the East African and Southern African Power Pools.
Since Abay is a transboundary river, it is a resource that we share with our brothers and sisters in the lower riparian countries” said Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in a speech he made today following the successful completion of the third filling of the GERD reservoir today.
“Abay is a free gift of God to Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan. We will share it accordingly. Had it been given to us alone, it would drain into Ethiopia like the Awash River,” said Abiy
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam(GERD) will not only power Ethiopia’s economy, but it will also power Africa’s Economic Integration.
“GERD will power not only Ethiopia’s economy but also Africa’s economic integration,” he said.
The total power generated from GERD so far is well over 540 megawatts.
Esleman Abay
