Two Horn of Africa nations, Ethiopia and Kenya, managed to become the first countries in the region to set up a 500 kilovolt power line. When it is completed, it is said to have the capacity to transmit 2,000 megawatts.
Currently the power line construction is being undertaken by China Electric Power Equipment and Technology (CET). The project is scheduled to be completed a year from now by September 2018.
The power transmission line is estimated to cost 1.26 billion USD and it is financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB). The line is said to stretch for 1,045 kilometers out of which 445 kilometers is within Ethiopia.
It was a year ago that Ethiopia and Kenya conceived power interconnection project. They signed a memorandum of understanding to have a power interconnection system.
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