[ad_1]
By Andualem Sisay Gessesse – From wind power to solar and hydropower, the Ethiopian government is currently running several energy projects. Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), the government agency responsible for building energy projects in the country, is building four hydroelectric projects, two geothermal, one wind farm and one energy recovery project.
In addition, EEP also participated in the construction of several transmission lines and substations. Estimates show that Ethiopia has a hydroelectric potential of 50,000 megawatts.
At present, Ethiopia derives 90% of its total electricity from 14 hydropower plants with a total installed capacity of nearly 3,815 megawatts.
One of the largest hydropower projects managed by EEP is the Great Ethiopia Dam Renaissance Dam (GERD), which is about 68% completed, according to the latest EEP report. The project completion period is delayed as it was part of the work badigned to Metal Engineering Corporation (METEC), a corrupt, army-owned company whose former leaders are now in prison.
Whether it is to import substandard processors or to award the same foreign companies without a transparent auction process, METEC officials would have embezzled more than two billion dollars.
The construction of the GERD, which is expected to generate 6,350 megawatts of electricity, was launched in 2011. While government performance figures have always been difficult, the September EEP news bulletin indicated that the total performance of DIRD work was 59.9%. by the end of 2017/18.
It was planned to achieve 10.64% of the work on the project in 20117/18. But 8.7% was achieved, bringing the total performance to 68% by the end of 2017/18, according to the newsletter.
A few weeks ago, a report on the current state of GERD indicated that it could run out for four more years before the dam started to produce electricity.
Koysha Hydropower Plant
The second hydropower project built by EEP is the Koysha Hydropower Project, located about 530 kilometers west of the capital, Addis Ababa. Koysha has an installed electricity generation capacity of 2,160 megawatts.
In September 2018, the overall performance of the project was 21.33%. "The excavation and construction works of the weir and the power station were undertaken. Excavation work on a total of two million cubic meters was completed on some 897 916 cubic meters, "according to the EEP report.
The report also stated that ten containers were used by EEP employees and 53 other contractor employees (SaliniImpregilo of Italy).
In addition, excavation and foundation work is underway. Stretching of the 400 kilovolt transmission lines to the Koysha hydroelectric plant must be undertaken.
Genale Dawa III hydroelectric plant
Ethiopia's hydropower Genale Dawa III is the third project undertaken by EEP. This is a project valued at $ 0.2 billion (Birr 62.19 billion). Once completed, it should generate 254 megawatts.
When you think of investing such a sum for only 254 megawatts, that makes no sense. Especially, compared to the more than 6,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power expected from GERD for a total investment of about $ 6 billion.
Of the total cost of the Genale Dawa III project, about $ 1.9 billion (Birr 52.5 billion) will be covered by the Ethiopian government, with the rest coming from external loans.
Currently, nearly 96% of the project is completed. The civil works of the project were carried out by Salini Impregilo.
Aba Samuel Hydroelectricity
Located 27 kilometers south-east of Addis Ababa, the Aba Samuel hydroelectric power plant is the fourth hydroelectric project undertaken by EEP. Although the plant was built in 1941 with the support of the Italian government, Aba Samuel's hydropower was out of order.
The plant was commissioned in 2016 after two years of maintenance and rehabilitation. Aba Samuel has a total power generation capacity of less than 7 megawatts. As part of its rehabilitation, EEP replaced electromechanical materials and equipment.
According to the EEP report released last September, about 700 Ethiopians and 150 expatriates had participated in the rehabilitation, including the dam. Power China The Chinese company Houdong Engineering Corporation is the company in charge of the rehabilitation, which cost a total of 20 million dollars. Of the total cost, the Chinese government provided 75%, the rest being covered by the Ethiopian government.
By September 2018, EEP had undertaken almost 97% of the overall project rehabilitation.
In addition to hydropower, Ethiopia produces 87 megawatts of electricity from three different diesel plants. There are also three different wind farms collectively generating 324 megawatts and a geothermal generating 7.5 megawatts of electricity.
In my next article, I will try to review the status and updates of solar, wind and geothermal projects, as well as the project "wasting energy energy" worth millions of dollars. Millions of dollars in Ethiopia, which made false investments undertaken in Ethiopia over the past two decades.
Source link
