The Ministry of Water and Energy, Ethiopia is to commission economic feasibility studies to construct new hydro power plants on the Tekeze and Dedessa rivers.
The Ethiopian ministry is seeking international consulting firms to carry out the feasibility studies. The studies to be conducted are expected to identify the type of dam to be constructed and provide cost estimates according to a source at the Hydro Power Development and Dam Administration Directorate of the MoWE.
The ministry will cover the costs for the study out of its budget for this fiscal year.Preliminary surveys to assess the potential of the two dams to be constructed were carried out by the Water Works Design & Supervision Enterprise.
The project on the Tekeze River will be the second phase following the construction of the Tekeze I hydro power plant at a cost of 350 million US dollars last year. Tekeze II is expected to generate 150 MW more that the first hydro power plant on the Tekeze River according to sources.
The new dam to be built on the Dedessa River is planned to generate 301 MW.
The ministry is also carrying out feasibility studies for the Deco Abo and Media hydro power projects.
Source: Addis Fortune
