Ethiopia has launched the largest hydroelectric power plant on the African continent. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
This project holds an important place in the country's history. The inauguration ceremony held in the city of Guba was attended by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as well as the presidents of Somalia, Djibouti, and Kenya.
The dam construction began in 2011 in the western part of Ethiopia, approximately 30 kilometers from the border with Sudan. The project is valued at 4.6 billion dollars.
The hydroelectric power plant has a capacity of 5250 megawatts. The main dam is 145 meters high and nearly 1.8 kilometers long.
The dam is equipped with a cascade system. With the launch of the power station, Ethiopia plans to at least double its electricity production.
The country's leadership has set the primary goal of providing full electricity supply to the population and exporting surplus power to neighboring countries. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed emphasized at the inauguration ceremony that this project was implemented to improve stable electricity supply in the region.
At the same time, disputes surrounding the project have been ongoing for several years. Since 2012, Ethiopia has been negotiating with Egypt and Sudan regarding water resources and the management rules of the hydroelectric power plant.
Neighboring countries express concerns that unilateral control over the large reservoir could negatively affect their national security and water distribution.
