Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) installed capacity has been increase by 450 megawatts following improvements made on the design. This increase the dam’s total installed capacity to 6450 megawatts.

According to Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael, member of the executive committee for the council of public mobilization on GERD, the improvement was on 14 turbines out of the total 16. Civil and electromechanical works of the dam were well in progress, he explained.

It was back in 2011 that the construction of the dam started. Back then the installed capacity was planned to be 5,250 megawatts.

When the dam goes operational, the power it would generate is going to be equal the combined generating capacity of Tekeze, Beles and Gilgel Gibe II dams.

"The improvement in the power generating capacity of the dam does not have anything to do with the water flow of the river”, Debretsion explained. “There will be no harm that could inflict on the downstream countries."

Final works that would enable the dam to start generating power was being undertaken, he added.

The construction of the dam is mainly being financed by selling government bonds and public donations. Public contribution for the dam has now reached 9 billion Birr.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency