Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated the Genale Dawa III Hydroelectric project today. Genale Dawa III generates 254MW annually.

The $451-million project has been launched in 2010, and its dam is built on Dawa River, in southeast Ethiopia. The 110-meter high and 426-meter long dam can hold up to 2.5 billion cubic meters of water.

The project has been carried out by the company China Gezhouba Group Company Limited (CGGC).

Prime Minister Abiy, speaking during the inauguration, congratulated all who contributed to making the project a success. The Genale Dawa III hydropower project, the prime minister said, stands as a proof to “our saying that we will never give up, but we cut ribbons finishing what we started.”

The project will also be used for irrigation in addition to generating power, PM Abiy said.

The prime minister also disclosed his government plans to build Genale Dawa IV Hydropower project, which will cost around a billion dollars. This upcoming project, he pointed out, the government plans to build in a joint venture with local investors, albeit several foreign investors being attracted to it.

Seleshi Bekele (Ph.D.), Ethiopia's Minister of Water, Irrigation, and Energy, for his part, said the project will help Ethiopians' access to electricity, which currently stands at 45 percent.

Currently, Ethiopia generates 4,400MW annually and will be able to generate additional 7,300MW when the Grand Ethiopia Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the Koysha Dam come into completion.

Source: FBC, ENA