The United States granted USD 1.1 million to TM Geothermal Operations PLC with a view to supporting the Tulu Moye Geothermal Project which is located in Arsi zone, Oromiya Regional State and which is the nation’s second geothermal plant. The United Stated Trade and Development Agency donated the money to undertake a feasibility study for the first 50MW stage of the planned 520MW project.

In 2017, TM Geothermal Operations PLC, an Ethiopian company, concluded a power purchasing contract with the Ethiopian government. It assigned Delphos International, an American company with experience in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, to undertake the feasibility study.

State Minister of Water, Irrigation, and Electricity, Dr. Frehiwot W.Hanna said, “The project is vital for the power sector in Ethiopia. We are expecting more firms to be involved in the sector to develop geothermal power.”
Meridiam SAS, a French Company, Reykjavik Geothermal which is based in Iceland, and TM Geothermal are jointly developing the project which is part of a larger agreement signed with the Ethiopian government to develop at least 1000MW of geothermal capacity at a cost of USD 2 billion.

The first stage of the project is planned to be finalized within two years, while the rest will commence operation in 2023.

According to Ethiopian Electric Power, Ethiopia has an estimated potential of generating 45,000MW of hydropower, 10,000MW of geothermal energy and 1.3 million megawatts of wind power.

Source: Addis Fortune