The country’s largest hydro-power plant, Gilgel Gibe III started electricity generation following a successful trial production which began in August. Having a height of 243m and total installed capacity of 1,870MW, the Gilgel Gibe III hydroelectric project is the highest Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) dam in the world, surpassing China’s 216.2 meters high Longtan Dam. The construction of the project costed $1.8 billion.
The project will increase the generation capacity of Ethiopia by close to 100% and make the power export program of the country viable. It will also ease Ethiopia’s chronic power outages and boost a booming economy.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ethiopia is ranked among the five fastest growing economies in the world. The country named amongst the ‘African tigers’ could reach middle income status by 2025 through its various modernization projects. Power generation is a vital component in this development agenda.
Thus, the project is expected to have great socio- economic contributions by feeding Ethiopian grid, and creating regional integration among the neighboring countries through interconnected system.
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