Africa-Press – Ethiopia. Addis Ababa August 11/2022/ENA/ The construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has reached its current stage, overcoming various hindrances and pressures over the years, Manager of the Project, Engineer Kifle Horo said.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed today inaugurated the second turbine of GERD which generates 375 MW of electricity.
During the occasion, GERD Project Manager, Kifle Horo said that starting power generation with two turbines was among the major plans to be carried out during the concluded Ethiopian fiscal year.
Accordingly, the dam’s second turbine has just started generating power today, he said noting that the plan has successfully been accomplished.
Eng. Kifle stated that effective activities have been carried out as per the corrective measures following the national reform launched by PM Abiy regarding the project.
Indicating that currently the total civil construction of the project has reached 95 percent while the electromechanical works 61 percent, the Project manager said the total project performance of the construction of GERD has now reached 83.3 percent.
According to him, efforts are underway to complete the project within the coming two and half years with a view to realizing the objective of GERD to the national economy of the country.
The past two years were the most difficult times for Ethiopia as the country had encountered a number of challenges from within and outside including various attempts to disrupt the construction of GERD, he added.
However, he said as a result of the strong commitment and collaboration of the people and government of Ethiopia, the construction of GERD has reached to its current encouraging level, withstanding the various hindrances.
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has 145m height, and 1,780m width.
Upon completion, GERD will have a capacity of holding 74 billion cubic meter of water.
The second turbine of GERD has started early power generation today in the presence of Prime Minister Abiy, President Sahle-Work Zewdie and other senior government officials.
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